KEUKA PARK, NY – The Alfred University women's volleyball team won its fourth straight match on Thursday evening against Keuka College, 3-1.

The Saxons (6-19, 5-3 Empire 8) defeated the Wolves with back-to-back, extra-point sets for a final set scoreline of 25-20, 23-25, 28-26 and 27-25. The most exciting set was the fourth set as Keuka got out to a huge lead, 15-5. The score closed to a 15-12 lead in favor of the Wolves, due to their own errors and one Lainey Arneson (Yortown, VA/Tabb) kill.

"An amazing team effort. We put the entire bench in to give those who had been playing relief," Head Coach Dakota 'Dak' Pruiss said. "The best part was that, down by 10, the people who we called upon, got us back in the set to win the match. I am happy that everyone got in and contributed. Down to the second to last play where Maija [Grinbergs] got us a crucial ace."

As the Saxons kept nipping at the Wolves' lead, making it 17-17 off of a Julia Fanning (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill Senior) ace, the rest of the set was a back-and-forth struggle. Keuka built a 22-18 lead but then Alfred would tie it again with unanswered scores. With set-point in hand of the hosts, 25-24, the Wolves gave yet another tie with a service error before Maija Ginbergs (Dedham, MA/Norfolk Agricultural) posted the leading ace, 26-25, followed by a match-claiming attack error by Keuka.

In total, both teams had 10 aces on the night with a Saxon team-high of three from Fanning as well as two from both Amber Smith (Penfield, NY/Webster Schroeder) and Rachael Moravansky (Mount Airy, MD/Linganore).

Smith led the Saxons in points with 14.5 on the evening off of 12 kills, her two aces and one block assist while chipping in five digs. Karina Morling (Canisteo, NY/Canisteo-Greenwood) followed with 10.0 points from seven kills, two solo blocks and two block assists. Sarah Raeman (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) rounded out the top-scorers for Alfred University with 9.5 points off of eight kills and three block assists.

Three Saxons recorded double-digit digs as Sarah Huzyk (North Chili, NY/Churchville-Chili) led with 16, Elisabeth Estep (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) posted 14 and Alex Taylor (Cucamonga, CA/Los Osos) had 10.

Amanda Burns (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) led Alfred University with 33 set assists out of the 37 from the team.

The Saxons will next round out their regular season with a pair of non-conference matches up in Utica, NY. First, AU will take on Oswego State at 2:30PM on Saturday, October 27 before facing the hosts of SUNY Poly at 4:30PM. The following week, the Saxons will head to Hoboken, NJ for the Empire 8 Tournament.