SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – After falling in the first set, the Oneonta women's volleyball team won the next three to secure a 3-1 victory over Union on Friday afternoon. Senior Casey Biggers (Holtsville, NY/Sachem East) tallied a career, and match-high 19 kills to help the Red Dragons move to 4-4 overall. The Dutchmen now fall to 3-5.
Union claimed the first set 25-23 in a tight round that included 12 ties with only three lead changes. After Union went up 11-8 following a kill from Keara Page, junior Caitlin Christie (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) sent in a kill to cut the lead to two. The Dutchwomen responded but kills by Biggers and junior Ashanti Davis (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) tied at 12-12. Neither side could pull away, and at 15-15, Oneonta went on a 3-0 run with kills by junior Isabella Fabrizio (Highland Mills, NY/Cornwall) and Davis and a Carsyn Rachuta (Holbrook, NY/Sachem North) service ace. Union answered with a run and was able to go up 23-22. Biggers tied with a kill, but the Dutchmen won the set with two straight kills.
Oneonta took a 9-4 lead in the second set before Union used a 4-0 span to cut the lead to one. The Red Dragons continued to hold a narrow lead and a Sophia Gerace (Pearl River, NY/Pearl River) service ace was followed up by a Biggers kill to push it to 14-10. Three more kills from Biggers and another from Fabrizio put Oneonta ahead 22-16. The Red Dragons took the set 25-18 on a Dutchwomen service error.
The Red Dragons won the third set by the same score at 25-18. Union's Keara Page used a kill to cut the Oneonta led to 16-12, but three consecutive points gave Oneonta a comfortable lead. The Red Dragons went on to commit six errors to help the Red Dragons to win.
In the fourth set, Julia Webster tied 15-15 after she hit an ace. Senior Clara Culeton (Oswego, NY/Oswego) responded with a kill, but the Dutchwomen tied again at 16. After points were traded, two straight service aces by junior Karli Chamberlin (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) put the Red Dragons up 20-17. Union chipped its way back in, but Christie sent n the final give to give Oneonta a match point at 25-19.
Biggers finished the match hitting an impressive .457, while Davis added nine kills and five blocks. Culeton and Christie each had seven kills. Gerace led the team with 26 assists, and first-year Anna Moller (Long Beach, NY/Long Beach Senior) had a match-high 15 digs.
Oneonta continues the Union Interleague Challenge on Saturday with matches against Sage (11 a.m.) and Misericordia (noon). Both games will be played in Albany, NY at Sage College's Kahl Gym.
