Cortland Box | Union Box l Updated stats | Tournament site
SCHNECTADY, N.Y. -- On the second day of the Union Invitational, the Golden Flyers split a pair of hard-fought women's volleyball matches. The Golden Flyers defeated Cortland in their first match by scores of 25-19, 22-25, 25-16, 25-18, then lost to host Union in five sets 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 25-15, 15-13.

Nazareth completed a 3-1 weekend with a 10-3 overall record. Freshman Cady Messmer represented the Golden Flyers on the all-tournament team.

In the Cortland match, Nazareth recorded its first win over the Red Dragons since 2009 as junior Chelsea Beecher and classmate Maria Allocco recorded 16 kills and 15 kills, respectively, to lead Nazareth's efficient offensive attack. Beecher and Allocco had just six total hitting errors between them.

In addition to the 31 total kills from Beecher and Allocco, Messmer tallied 10 kills and junior Kassandra Buseck adaded eight kills with only two hitting errors. Nazareth amassed at least 14 kills in each of the three sets they won. The Golden Flyers finished with hitting percentages of .387, .091, .308, and .226. during the four sets. Overall, Nazareth averaged a .254 attack percentage. Freshman Madi Wickens finished with a match-high 41 assists as Nazareth's primary setter.

Defensively, freshman Maureen Thayer tallied 20 digs, while Messmer and junior Katherine Race recorded 29 total digs. Allocco and junior Jennifer Hicks each had a solo block and an assisted block, too. Nazareth held Cortland to hitting percentages of .111, .268, .114, and .037 during the four sets. The Red Dragons finished with a .144 average hitting percentage

Race finished the match with six service aces to provide Nazareth with a 10-5 advantage in the category.

Against Union, Buseck had a career-high 20 kills and Allocco added 15. Thayer had 43 assists and Wickens amassed 20 digs. Nazareth had a 9-7 lead in the decisive fifth set following a kill by Beecher and a combination block by Jillian Van Cott and Jennifer Hicks. Union rallied by scoring eight of the last 12 points of the match.

Nazareth is home Wednesday for a non-conference match against Fredonia at 7 p.m.