HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 18, 2009) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team extended its win-streak to three matches following a 3-2 (24-26, 25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 15-12) triumph over SUNY Cortland in the opening match of the 2009 Ducks Classic at Canavan Arena in Hoboken, N.J. The Ducks upped their overall record to 7-5 on the year, while the Red Dragons fell to 5-5 on the season.

Stevens will continue play at the 2009 Ducks Classic tomorrow at 10 a.m. against Williams College before facing No. 24 Eastern University in the afternoon session slated for 1 p.m. SUNY Cortland and Eastern square-off in the Classic's other 10 a.m. match, while SUNY Cortland and Williams meet at 1 p.m.

Stevens 3, SUNY Cortland 2 (24-26, 25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 15-12)
After dropping a hard-fought first set, 26-24, the Ducks found themselves down 10-5 early in the second. Junior outside hitter Sarah Byrne would hammer home a kill to make it 10-6 but two straight points by the Red Dragons would up the Stevens' deficit to six. Undeterred, the gritty Ducks would mount a 6-0 run capped off by a kill from freshman outside hitter Maggie Kowalska to knot the set at 12.

With the Ducks up 18-15, Cortland would rattle off a 5-1 run of their own, taking a 20-19 advantage, before a kill by junior Maggie Majcher would tie the set at 20. Stevens would then capture five of the next eight points to seal a win in the second set.

The Ducks would carry the momentum into the pivotal third set, when down 9-7, senior Laura Johnson would spark a 5-0 Stevens run, tallying four kills during a crucial stretch that gave Stevens a 12-9 edge en route to a 25-15 win.

Following a close, 25-22, loss in the fourth set, Stevens found itself down 4-3 early in the fifth and final set. But the Ducks would regain the advantage on the strength of a 7-3 run to take a 10-7 lead. Then while clinging to a 13-12 lead the Ducks would tally the final two points of the match to seal the victory.

Byrne finished with a match-high 22 kills and a team-high 19 digs. Newcomer Brittany Fuller added 10 kills in the win, while freshman Michelle Plotzker led the team in blocks with six. Junior libero Julia Reilly added 13 digs, while fellow junior Sara Budar tallied 44 assists and 10 digs.

Red Dragons' senior outside hitter Michelle Gaufman (Wantagh, N.Y.) led SUNY Cortland with 15 kills, while fellow senior Ariel Rakita (Lake Grove, N.Y.) and sophomore Kaitlyn Cooper (Rochester, N.Y.) finished with eight kills apiece. Freshman setter Kristen Guercio (Smithtown, N.Y.) added 38 assists, while freshman libero Erin Carrino (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) collected a match-high 20 digs.

No. 24 Eastern 3, Williams 1 (26-24, 25-19, 21-25, 25-19)
No. 24 Eastern University moved to 7-1 on the season following a 3-1 win over Williams College in its first match at the 2009 Ducks Classic. The Eagles won a closely contested first set, 26-24 before earning a 25-19 win in the second set to take a 2-0 advantage. The Ephs would hit a match-high .314 and rally for a 25-21 win in the third set, before eventually falling in the fourth set, 25-19. Williams is now 3-2 on the year. Eastern hit .293 for the match including a .316 output in the second set, while holding Williams to a .149 hitting percentage.

Eastern freshman Rachel Wenger (East Earl, Pa.) posted a match-high 19 kills, while sophomore outside hitter Courtney Reinhold (Adamstown, Pa.) added 17 kills. Senior Bridget Carey (Bel Air, Md.) added 12 kills, while sophomore setter Maria Horning (Denver, Pa.) collected 50 assists in the win. Sophomore libero Nikki Kummerer (Reading, Pa.) finished with a match-high 20 digs in defense.

Junior Nicole Ballon-Landa (La Jolla, Calif.) and seniors Chelsea Kubal (Atherton, Calif.) and Melissa Pun (San Francisco, Calif.) paced the Ephs offensively with 11 kills apiece. Junior setter Emily Avis (Palo Alto, Calif.) totaled 43 assists.