A Quick Look
The SUNY Oneonta volleyball team defeated SUNY Potsdam 3-1 in SUNYAC action Friday evening at Chase Gymnasium. The win lifts the Red Dragons record to 2-9 overall and 1-1 in league play while the Bears slide to 4-5 with a 1-2 mark in the conference.

The Inside Story
Oneonta took the first set 25-10 behind a .235 hitting percentage. With the Red Dragons leading 11-6, they used a 7-0 run to put the set out of reach with Annalisa Alicea (Poughkeepsie/Arlington) at the service. Isabella Fabrizio (Highland Mills/Cornwall) tallied the finishing point with a service ace.

Oneonta took a 2-0 lead after capturing the second set 25-16, capitalizing on a match best .391 hitting percentage. With Oneonta holding a 12-8 advantage, the hosts went on a 6-0 run with Carsyn Rachuta (Holbrook/Sachem North) at the service. During the run, Rachuta delivered three service aces as Oneonta took a 18-8 lead. The Bears climbed back into the set with a 6-0 run of their own to cut the deficit to 18-14. The Bear's excitement was short-lived as the Red Dragons closed out the set with a 7-2 run.

After dropping the third set 25-17, Oneonta closed out the match with a 25-18 victory in the fourth.

"We have grown as a team this past week and it showed tonight", said Head Coach Ashley Coyle. "We executed both defensively and offensively, which is a testament to the work we have put in. Our team started out strong in the first two sets, controlling the serve and pass game from the start. Potsdam was able to put pressure on us in set three with their tempo and service pressure. We have talked a lot about finishing matches and fighting when teams push back on us. I am so proud of how our team was able to respond to Potsdam's adjustments and finish strong in set four."

Just the Stats
Isabella Fabrizio (Highland Mills/Cornwall) and Caitlin Christie (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) paced Oneonta with ten kills apiece. Fabrizio also contributed a match-high 23 digs. Casey Biggers (Holtsville/Sachem East) chipped in with nine kills while Ashlee Mazzella (Warwick/Warwick Valley) had eight. The Red Dragons had a season high 14 service aces, including four apiece from Carsyn Rachuta (Holbrook/Sachem North) and Haileigh Deming (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake). Deming also dished out 15 assists while Kayla Rende (Wantagh/Wantagh) had a team-best 18.

What's Next
Oneonta returns to action tomorrow afternoon when they host Plattsburgh in a SUNYAC battle at 1:00PM.