GRANTHAM, P.A. – The Cortland women’s volleyball team earned its seventh consecutive victory on Friday evening, winning in four sets, 21-25, 25-11, 25-17, 25-19, over host Messiah on the opening day of the Messiah Tournament. Cortland improves to 8-2 on the year, while Messiah is 6-4 on the season.
Mikenzie Martens (Carthage), fresh off recording her 1,000th career dig last weekend, tallied a career-high 31 digs to lead the Red Dragons. Martens also led Cortland with three aces. Alexa Guedez (Mamaroneck/Rye Neck) had nine kills on a .364 hitting percentage and six total blocks, while Anna Pilkey (Ballston Spa) had 11 kills and 19 digs. Jennifer Koestner (Syosset) chipped in 10 kills for Cortland.
Makenzie Adams led Messiah with nine kills, and added 18 digs. Caitln Lielbriedis had 20 digs for the Falcons.
Cortland fell behind 9-6 in the opening set, before a kill by Pilkey and two consecutive kills by Koestner tied the score at 9-9. The Falcons regained an advantage and stretched the lead to as many as six, before the Red Dragons were able to rally again to tie the score at 20-20. Messiah was able to win five of the next six points to claim the set.
The Red Dragons responded extremely well with a dominant victory in the second set, winning 14 of the final 19 points and evening the match after kills by Kira Pirrera (Hauppague) and Pilkey to end the set.
With the score tied at 2-2 in the third set, Martens led a 10-0 run for Cortland to take control. Cortland extended the lead to as many as 13 points after back-to-back kills by Pirrera and Pilkey. The Falcons attempted to mount a comeback, but Cortland got its last…
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