BUFFALO, NY – The Alfred University women's volleyball team topped Wells College in three sets on Friday evening to open up the Buffalo State Bengal Challenge.
 
The Saxons (3-5, 0-0 Empire 8) defeated the Express in increasing-deficit sets, 25-18, 25-17 and 25-16 on Friday evening. "This win was a great feeling after such a positive and productive week of practices. I was very pleased with everyone who contributed tonight," Head Coach Dakota Pruiss said. "I think Sarah, Honor and Rylee had stellar offensives performances. We have been excited about our first and second contact all year but to have those three get our third contacts to be more aggressive rounds out the dynamic of what this team is capable of."
 
Two AU players hit double-digits in scoring as Sarah Raeman (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) had 13 points from 12 kills and two block assists. Honor Edmands (Reno, NV/Reno) followed with 12 points as she had 10 kills with two block assists and a solo stop at the net.
 
Amanda Burns (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) easily had the match-high in set assists as no Wells player had double-figures but Burns totaled 30 set assists and added 4.5 points from two aces, a kill, a solo block and an assisted block.
 
No player on the Express roster managed double-digit scoring as almost every Saxon recorded a dig on the night. The defensive efforts were led by Darian Ortiz (Santa Fe, NM/St. Michael's) and first-year Anjoeline Armstrong (Simi Valley, CA/Bishop Alemany). Ortiz totaled 14 digs while Armstrong stopped 10 attacks on the night. Ortiz also led AU in aces with three.
 
Other notable performances from the purple and gold were that of Rylee Russin (Broomfield, CO/Broomfield) with eight kills and two digs as well as Fiona McNeil (Fayetteville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) who chipped in on the defensive front at the net, getting in on two block assists.
 
The Saxons will next close out the Bengal Challenge as they play the hosts on Saturday morning at 11:00am and then Medaille College at 3:00pm.