SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The Oneonta volleyball team fell in its first match of the Skidmore Invitational on Friday evening, falling 3-1 to host Skidmore. The Red Dragons (0-4) took the first set 25-20 but then lost three straight at 23-25, 14-25, and 19-25.
After some back-and-forth points, the Thoroughbreds (2-2) went up 3-2 following a Red Dragons' serving error. Senior Ashanti Davis (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) sent in a kill off a Layla Alt (Shullsburg, WI/Shullsburg) set and followed by blocking an attack from Ella Harris. A kill from Alt and then a Skidmore attacking error gave Oneonta a 6-3 lead.
The Thoroughbreds fought back to tie before another 4-0 Red Dragons' run with a Davis ace and a Sabrina Squicciarini (Manorville, NY/St. Anthony's) kill pushed Oneonta up 10-6. Kills by junior Sophia Gerace (Pearl River, NY/Pearl River) and sophomore Gianna May (Baldwinsville, NY/Baldwinsville) put the Red Dragons ahead by five, and then senior Isabella Fabrizio (Highland Mills, NY/Cornwall) sent in a kill to put the score 16-12. A 5-1 Skidmore span tied 17-17, but Davis recorded two more aces and a kill to keep the Red Dragons rolling. The Thoroughbreds pulled within four, but Oneonta sealed the set with a May kill.
A 5-0 run in the second set put Oneonta ahead 16-13. Blocks from Fabrizio and Davis and then a service error gave the Red Dragons a 20-16 lead. Skidmore scored the following four points to cut the lead to one until a Fabrizio ace looked to provide Oneonta with the advantage. The Thoroughbreds went on to take five of the following six points to tie 1-1.
After jumping out to an 11-3 lead in the third set, Oneonta allowed a 5-1 Skidmore span. Fabrizio knocked in a kill to push the lead to 14-9, but Skidmore scored 16 straight points to win the set.
Oneonta regained some offensive rhythm in the fourth set and tied 14-14 following a Davis block and a Squicciarini kill. Kills from sophomore Katie Spano (Dryden, NY/Dryden) and Fabrizio gave the Red Dragons a one-point lead, but the Thoroughbreds followed up with five consecutive points. Oneonta pulled with two points, but Skidmore closed the match on a 4-0 run.
May led the team with seven kills, while Davis added six kills, six blocks, and three aces. Fabrizio knocked in six kills with two aces. Gerace had a team-high 13 kills, while Annalisa Alicea (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) grabbed 26 digs.
Jo Blanco led Skidmore with 12 kills, and Jazlin Chen had six blocks.
Oneonta looks to bounce back on the second day of the Skidmore Invitational on Sat. Sept. 9 with matches against Alfred (10 a.m.) and Eastern Nazarene (12 p.m.).
