ITHACA, N.Y. - Cortland senior
Kira Pirrera (Hauppauge/Smithtown West) became just the eighth player in school history to reach the career 1,000-point mark during the Red Dragons' four-set loss at nationally ninth-ranked Ithaca.
Cortland (11-9) won the first set, 25-13, but Ithaca (22-3) captured the next three, 25-17, 25-17 and 25-17. The Red Dragons will host Potsdam Friday at 6 p.m. and Canton Saturday at noon in SUNYAC contests.
Pirrera finished the match with 18 kills, a .406 attack percentage and three blocks. She now has 1,007 kills during her four years as a Red Dragon. She registered four kills in each of the first two sets, and the third of her seven kills in the third put her at the 1,000-mark.
Reese Chudoba (Hamburg) finished with eight kills and one error in 18 attempts for a .389 attack percentage.
Sanaiya Whitted (Poughkeepsie/Franklin D. Roosevelt) also had eight kills.
Lily Coan (Sayville) ended with 18 assists and
Samantha Rodriguez (Camarillo, CA/Adolfo Camarillo) totaled 11 assists and six digs.
Sarah Taggart (Buffalo/Williamsville South) led the team with 12 digs, and
Bianca Sapano (Floral Park/Kellenberg Memorial) served three aces.
Naomi Clauhs posted 15 kills with one error in 25 attempts (.560) and Addison Leadbetter had 13 kills with one error in 19 attempts (.632), along with six blocks, to lead the host Bombers. Brianna Owen recorded eight kills and four blocks, Wesley Slavin had 39 assists and five aces, Jamie Low amassed 11 digs and Elena Chappell had five blocks.
Cortland came out red hot offensively in the first set. The Red Dragons had 11 kills with no errors in 13 swings (.846), while holding Ithaca to a .045 percentage. The set was tied 9-9 before Cortland rattled off nine of the next 11 points to take control.
The second set featured 12 ties and five lead changes. Ithaca took the lead for good with three consecutive points to go up 17-14, and with the score 20-17 the Bombers scored the last five points to even the match.
Both teams hit well in the third set. Cortland had 13 kills and one error in 19 attempts (.632), but Ithaca had 20 kills and one error in 25 attempts (.760). Cortland was within three at 19-16 after a
Lauren Millspaugh (Trumansburg/Charles O. Dickerson) ace, but the Bombers scored three straight on a Clauhs kill and two kills from Chappell to go up 22-16 as part of a set-ending 6-1 run.
Ithaca opened the fourth set with a 6-2 run and never trailed the rest of the way. Ithaca finished the match with a .350 attack percentage, and Cortland hit .248 for the evening.
CORTLAND WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL - CAREER KILLS
1) Michelle Gaufman (2006-09), 1,822
2) Ashley Coyle (2008, 10-12), 1,803
3) Jessica Walker (1995-98), 1,739
4) Sheena Asibey (2008-11), 1,296
5) Missy Burke (1995-98), 1,222
6) Andrea Smith (2000-03), 1,207
7) Tiffany Chatman (2005-07), 1,136
8) Kira Pirrera (2023-26, active), 1,007
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