POTSDAM, N.Y. - The Oneonta women's volleyball team dropped a five-set heartbreaker to Potsdam on Saturday afternoon and then fell in three sets to Clarkson in the second match. Against Potsdam, Fifth-year Clara Culeton (Oswego, NY/Oswego) knocked in a career-high 20 kills, while junior Ashanti Davis (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) knocked in a career-best 17 kills.

Potsdam took the first set 25-19 and fell behind three points early in the first. Davis knocked in a kill, then kills by junior Isabella Fabrizio (Highland Mills, NY/Cornwall), and Culeton cut the lead to 11-9. The Bears built up to a 21-15 advantage after a 3-0 run, but a pair of Davis kills made it 21-17. Another kill by Fabrizio made it a five-point set, but an Oneonta service error gave the Bears the first win. 

The Red Dragons bounced back in the second set, using some long runs to take the lead. After falling behind 16-10, Oneonta went on a 5-0 span comprised of two Culeton kills and a double block by Fabrizio and Culeton. Potsdam scored two more to go ahead 19-16, and Oneonta closed out on a 9-0 run capped off by blocks by Culeton and senior Casey Biggers (Holtsville, NY/Sachem East). 

The third set went extra points, with the Bears coming out ahead 27-25. There were 19 ties, and the Red Dragons took a 25-24 lead following two consecutive kills by Culeton. Potsdam then tallied the final three points with two kills by Jessica Ader. 

Oneonta responded to tie in the fourth. After the Bears tied 12-12, kills by Kayla Rende (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) and Fabrizio pushed the Red Dragons' lead to 15-12. A 7-0 Oneonta span with a Fabrizio ace and kills by Rende, and Caitlin Chrisite pushed the lead to nine. Davis knocked in a kill to make it 24-15, and a bad set by Potsdam forced a fifth set. 

Oneonta went up 11-6 in the fifth set following two kills and an ace by Culeton. The Red Dragons took a 14-12 lead when Davis hit a kill. Potsdam then scored the next four with two Marley Hawthorne aces to win the match.  

Culeton added five blocks and three aces. Fabrizio recorded 12 kills and a career-best five aces, while Rende tallied a career-high 58 assists and 18 digs. Karli Chamberlein had 16 digs, while Annalisa Alicea (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) added 14. 

Oneonta had a tough second match, and Clarkson swept 3-0. The Golden Knights won 25-9, 25-18, and 25-10. 

A kill from Culeton and a Clarkson bad set cut the second set to 16-13. The Golden Knights continued to lead, but three-straight points with kills by Culeton and Fabrizio lessened the lead to four. The Golden Knights rattled off the next three to win the set. Clarkson controlled the third and never relinquished the lead to complete the sweep. 

Oneonta plays in its home opener on Wed. Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. next.