BROCKPORT, N.Y. – The volleyball team got off to a great start in conference play today with their straight sets victory over Cortland. The win improves their record to 13-2 overall, and 1-0 in the SUNYAC, while Cortland falls to 7-6 (0-1 SUNYAC).
 
Defending conference athlete of the week Kelly Waters got the Golden Eagles off to a hot start in the first set when she recorded a kill on the first point of the match, which was one of her seven kills on the day.
 
After a back-and-forth beginning to the set, Brockport took control when Kathleen Irwin came to the service line and served the team to six straight points. The team would not look back from there, winning the stanza 25-15 with two more kills from Waters to close things out.
 
The second set was tight, as Cortland took an early 6-2 lead off of four straight service aces from Samantha Czeczotka. The Golden Eagles were resilient though, winning the next six points when Waters, Jamie Schlesinger, and Sam Holdredge each recorded kills off the hands of Noelle Poloncarz.
 
The remainder of the second was tightly fought, with Cortland coming to within two at 24-22, forcing a Brockport timeout. It was to no avail however as the Red Dragons served the next ball into the net, ending the set.
 
The Golden Eagles found themselves down early again in the third at 10-7, before another six-point Irwin service run gave them a lead they would not give back. Serving was the name of the game in this set, as Irwin, Schlesinger, and Poloncarz all recorded service aces.
 
Brianna Richardson was terrific out of the middle in this match, registering eight kills on just 13 attempts for a .538 hitting percentage. The sophomore also added two of the teams four block assists.
 
The defensive duties were split evenly, as Holdredge, Poloncarz, and Taylor each contributed eleven digs. Poloncarz (3) and Taylor (2) combined for five of the squads 11 service aces – a category that was led by Irwin who recorded four.
 
Conference play continues tomorrow when the Golden Eagles square off with Oneonta at 10 a.m. before a matchup with Buffalo State at 12:30 p.m.
 
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