Sept. 27, 2014
 
 
The SUNY Oneonta volleyball team continued SUNYAC Pool Play Saturday when they took on Cortland and Potsdam inside Dewar Arena. The Red and White dropped a five set epic to Cortland before sweeping Potsdam.
 
Oneonta displayed the true meaning of  "never say never" in the opening match with Cortland. Trailing 2 sets to none, The Red and White, guided by an excited crowed, powered through the third and fourth sets.
 
Jill Darpino (Endicott/Union Endicott) started the third set off right with a block and a kill on back-to-back plays providing the early 3-0 lead. The Red and White used short runs to build momentum while maintaining slim leads. With the set knotted at 21, Oneonta combined forcing Cortland errors and kills of their own, capped by Melissa Voyer (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker), to take the set 25-21.
 
Karly Greco (East Patchogue/Bellport) look to keep the momentum going in the fourth set, as she opened the set with a service ace. Oneonta began to pull away after Jessica Pelaccio (Verplanck/Hendrick Hudson) entered the game at the service line with an ace to make the score 9-6. The host Red Dragons opened a lead as many as 11 in the fourth set before claiming the 25-15 sin to force a fifth set tiebreak.
 
Kristen Polan (Westhampton/Westhampton Beach) and Paige Carpluk (Yaphank/Bellport) lifted Oneonta to a 3-0 lead to start the set, which they led by as many as five. Cortland, however claimed the deciding set 15-13.
 
Darpino led the way in the afternoon cap for Oneonta's offense with nine kills on 23 attempts. Erin Avery (Harpursville/Harpursville) handed out 16 assists along the way. On the defensive side, Hayley Dower (Oneonta/Oneonta) chalked up 10 digs. The Red and White swept Potsdam 25-18, 25-23, 25-17.
 
Oneonta sits at 11-8 overall, and 2-1 in conference play. They will take the week off  before traveling to Union College on October 7.