BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo State women's volleyball team conquered the Cortland Red Dragons, 3-0, picking up its first win over its SUNYAC foe since 2014.
GAME BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 3, SUNY Cortland – 0
SET SCORES: (25-20, 25-14, 25-20)
LOCATION: Sports Arena – Buffalo, NY
RECORDS: Buffalo State: 7-10 (1-0 SUNYAC), SUNY Cortland: 7-8 (0-1 SUNYAC)
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE
- Ella Wittman (Cheektowaga, NY/Springville-Griffith) had a monster game for the Bengals, finishing with a game-high 15 kills and a .448 hitting percentage.
- Outside of Wittman, Delia Lake (Kenmore, NY/Kenmore West) finished with eight kills, while Anel Acosta (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda) added six kills.
- Alex Arroyo (Nesconset, NY/Smithtown East) led all players with 28 assists.
- Defensively, Hailey Kulniszewski (Elma, NY/Iroquois) led all players with 14 digs, while Kate Rutigliano (Martinsville, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) led the Bengals with two blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Entering their first SUNYAC matchup of the season, the Bengals looked to keep their momentum rolling as they hosted the Cortland Red Dragons in the Sports Arena.
- Opening the first set, the Bengals got off to a hot start, rallying for three straight points to take an early lead over the Red Dragons. As play continued, Cortland found its way back into the matchup, with both sides trading points. The Bengals regained momentum with back-to-back runs of three and four straight points, cruising to the finish and taking the first set.
- In the second set, the Bengals once again took control, using a five-point run to pull ahead of the Red Dragons early. The Bengals' strong stretch forced Cortland into mistakes, and Buffalo State capitalized with back-to-back runs of three and four points to close out the set and take a commanding 2-0 lead.
- In the third and final set, the Bengals found themselves on the receiving end of a Red Dragons run, as Cortland opened with five straight points. The Bengals responded with a three-point run to tie the score midway through the set. With Buffalo State looking to complete the sweep and Cortland hoping to mount a comeback, the Bengals kept their foot on the gas, rallying for four straight points before closing out the Red Dragons with a five-point run. The victory marked Buffalo State's first win over Cortland since the 2014 SUNYAC Quarterfinals.
FOR THE FOES
- Erica Arroyo led the Red Dragons with eight kills, while Lily Coan finished with 10 assists.
- Defensively, Sarah Taggart led Cortland with nine digs.
- This was the Red Dragons' first SUNYAC loss since 2019.
UP NEXT
The Bengals look to continue their strong play as they host Alfred State College next Wednesday, October 14
th, at 6:00 p.m. in the Sports Arena.
