ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University women's volleyball team finished the Saxon Classic Volleyball Tournament with a split as they swept SUNY Potsdam but fell to Lebanon Valley College on Saturday in the Terry S. Galanis Family Arena.
 
The Saxons (6-11, 0-0 Empire 8) defeated SUNY Potsdam in three sets while falling in three to Lebanon Valley. "Our team has shown that we are capable of great things, such as beating a tough Potsdam team that is looking to return to the SUNYAC tournament after their appearance last year," Head Coach Dakota Pruiss said. "Unfortunately that second match got ahead of us and Lebanon Valley took advantage of our flatness. Overall it was an okay weekend at home but we are looking for more during E8 play."
 
Match One:
Alfred University – 3 | SUNY Potsdam – 0
AU Set Scores: (25-23, 25-20, 25-23)
 
Amber Smith (Penfield, NY/Webster Schroeder) recorded another double-double as she had 16 kills and 10 digs while totaling 19.0 points as she added four block assists and one ace. Amanda Burns (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) had 30 set assists and Darian Ortiz (Santa Fe, NM/St. Michael's) had a team-high 18 digs.
 
Katie Geruso (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) also had four block assists to tie Smith but had the team's only two solo blocks to lead Alfred University, overall.
 
The first set was neck-and-neck almost all the way to the end. Potsdam held a 22-21 advantage before the Saxons went on a 4-1 run with an attack error from the Bears, a block from both Smith and Geruso, a kill from Sarah Raeman (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) (Burns assist) and a kill from Kayle Hatfield (Descanso, CA/Granite Hills) (Raeman assist) to close out the set.
 
The Bears got out to an early 10-5 lead in the second set in revenge. AU stifled the run with an 8-3 run to tie it at 13. The Saxons kept the pressure on as they put together an 8-3 for a 21-16 advantage. Raeman earned a kill (Smith assist) while Rylee Russin (Broomfield, CO/Broomfield) recorded two (one Burns assist) along with a Potsdam attack error to go 2-0 in the match.
 
Once again, AU found themselves in a hole in the beginning of the set as Potsdam had created a 12-4 lead early in the third set. Going on a run is a very mild statement of what the Saxons did next as they went on a rampage run of 11-1 to take the lead, 15-13. Potsdam clawed back to take the lead two more times before a kill from Samara-Jade Mok (Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany/Ramstein) off a Sarah Huzyk (North Chili, NY/Churchville-Chili) assist, two kills from Smith (Burns assists) and an ace from Huzyk sealed the deal and the match.
 
Match Two:
Alfred University – 0 | Lebanon Valley College – 3
AU Set Scores: (18-25, 12-25, 14-25)
 
Russin was the point-leader for the Saxons with 5.5 points off of four kills, one solo block and one assisted. Ortiz was the only Saxon to earn double-digit stats with 12 digs. In total, AU out-blocked Lebanon Valley, 16-6 and was led by Geruso's five block assists and one solo block.
 
The Saxons will next open up their 2019 Empire 8 schedule as they travel to Hartwick College for a solo match at 6 p.m. on Friday, September 27 before heading to Elmira College on Saturday for a 2 p.m. matchup.