MORRISVILLE, NY – The Alfred University women's volleyball team defeated all three of its opponents during the SUNY Morrisville Invitational on Friday and Saturday to start the year with a 3-0 record.
 
The Saxons (3-0, 0-0 Empire 8) haven't started a season with a 3-0 record since 2016 when they defeated Buffalo State (3-1), Lebanon Valley College (3-2) and Wells College (3-1) during the SUNY Cortland Tournament. The 2024 Saxons defeated SUNY Cobleskill in a three-set, 25-15, 25-15, 25-23 win on Friday. On Saturday morning, they toppled the hosts, 3-2 with set scores of 25-14, 21-25, 25-27, 25-17 and an extremely drawn out fifth set score of 24-22. AU wrapped up its season-opening weekend with a 3-1 win over St. Lawrence University with scores of 25-10, 25-10, 17-25 and 25-16.
 
"It's always great to open the season 3-0," Head Coach Mike Honeycutt said. "While we have a lot of growing to do as a team, I'm very happy with our resilience and determination. Everyone contributed and that will be key as the season progresses. Winning a fifth set, 24-22 was the highlight of the weekend!"
 
Both Taylor Malone (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) and Carleigh Santavy (Commerce, MI/Walled Lake Northern) were named to the SUNY Morrisville Invitational All-Tournament Team on Saturday.
 
Both Malone and Santavy produced top hitting accolades as Malone totaled 35 kills with back-to-back 13-kill matches on Saturday against Morrisville and St. Lawrence. Santavy had a weekend-high for the Saxons with 18 kills against Morrisville while totaling 27 on the weekend. She tacked on eight digs and four solo blocks with two assisted stops. Malone had six digs, one solo and two assisted blocks.
 
Abigail Omelan (Tomball, TX/Tomball Memorial) joined in the hitting frenzy as she totaled 22 kills in her first collegiate volleyball weekend.
 
Delaney Sims (Bogart, GA/George Walton Academy) and Jessica Lucille Ramirez (Riverside, CA/Hillcrest) split the setting responsibilities as Sims totaled 39 set assists and Ramirez had 29. Sims chipped in 26 digs, six block assists, two solo blocks, four kills and two aces. Ramirez added five aces and four digs. On the backline, Jamie Chun (Hilo, HI/Hilo) led with 42 digs, reaching double-digit digs in all three matches with a weekend-high of 18 against Morrisville. She added eight assists and three aces. Anjoeline Armstrong (Simi Valley, CA/Bishop Alemany) had 15 digs against Morrisville, going along with Chun's 18 and Sims's 17 in the five-set thriller.
 
Armstrong was the most consistent server for the Saxons as she was the only one who had aces in each of the three matches, totaling seven on the weekend with three against Cobleskill and three against Morrisville.
 
Defensively, the frontline held its own, as six different Saxons recorded blocks. Joining Malone, Santavy and Sims were Cara Bratthauar (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg Area) who had five block assists and two solos, Kristin Finley (Kenyon, MN/Kenyon-Wanamingo) with two assisted stops and Catherina Krause (Pflugerville, TX/Hendrickson) with two solos and two assisted.
 
The Saxons serves played a vital role as a total of 10 athletes recorded aces. Joining Armstrong's seven aces, were Ramirez with five, Chun's three, Jordan Gilbert (Barrington, NH/Coe-Brown Northwood Academy) and her three aces, Sims's two, Krause's two, Madalynn McGowan (Corona, CA/Norco) and her two, Jade Wolfer (Nunda, NY/Keshequa) and her solo ace and Skylar Lichner (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville East) and her contribution of one ace.
 
The Saxons won't see competition again until Friday, September 6 and Saturday, September 7 when they head to the Penn State Behrend Invitational. They first take on Fredonia on Friday at 5pm. Then AU faces Thiel College at 12pm on Saturday, followed by the hosts at 4pm.