Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 1, 2014) – The Vassar College women's volleyball opened its season Monday afternoon, hosting Brooklyn College and SUNY Cortland for a pair of non-conference tussles on Labor Day. VC dispatched of Brooklyn in straight sets, before dropping a hard fought five-setter to the Red Dragons to end the day.

Vassar College 3, Brooklyn College 0
Vassar College (1-1) had no problems with the visiting Bulldogs in the opening match of the day, as the Brewers earned a 25-14, 25-14 and 25-10 victory. The Brewers burst out of the gate, hitting .440 in the opening set, chalking up 14 kills in the first stanza. Though the hitting percentage dipped to .194 in the second set, the Brewers held the visitors to a -.217 clip to take a commanding two-game edge.

In the final game of the opening match, Vassar and Brooklyn were tied at five, but VC scored 17 of the match's 18 points to run away for the win. In the final set, Vassar posted eight service aces including five by senior Clara Cardillo (San Francisco, CA/Bay School of San Francisco).

Senior hitter Taylor Mosley (Rowlett, TX/Parish Episcopal School) had a team-best 10 kills on 15 swings, while freshman Paige Lerman (San Rafael, CA/Jewish Comm. Of The Bay) added seven kills as well. Cardillo and fellow senior Marie Pitre (San Dimas, CA/St. Lucys Priory) each finished with six kills, while freshman middle Alex Sams (Los Angeles, CA/Beverly Hills) posted four kills, two aces and two blocks.

Junior libero Chloe Hallum (Baltimore, MD/Olympia) chalked up a game-high 18 digs, and freshman setter Sophia Tiajoloff (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) posted a game-leading 25 helpers. Vassar had 17 service aces in the match, and finished with a 29-14-86 (.291) hitting profile.

SUNY Cortland 3, Vassar College 2
The third match of the afternoon, which followed a three-set win for SUNY Cortland over Brooklyn, was to see who would go 2-0 on the day. Though VC was up twice by a game, the Brewers couldn't hold on in falling 21-25, 25-19, 22-25, 26-24 and 15-9.

Vassar College jumped out to a 1-0 match lead, thanks to an early 7-0 run, holding on late after a furious comeback from the Red Dragons (5-1). In the second set, Cortland went on a 6-2 run with the score tied at 14 to knot the match at one game apiece. The third set was all about defense, as neither team hit about .100, but Vassar was able to force the Red Dragons into .024 hitting to pull ahead, 2-1.

After falling behind early on in the fourth game, the Brewers rallied to take a 16-13 lead on the strength off an 8-2 run midway through the period. After a timeout by Cortland, the visitors pulled back even at 18, after a kill by Kayla Pollack. The set would be tied five more times down the stretch, as the teams alternated points before SUNY Cortland won the final two points to push the match to a fifth set.

In the final set, the Red Dragons could do no wrong at the net, hitting a robust .316 in the final period to pull off the comeback. The Brewers offense was very balanced, as four players had double-digit finishes, highlighted by the 14 kills by Gabby Miller (Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon). Pitre had 13 kills, four assisted blocks and three aces, while Cardillo added 13 terminations and six blocks.

Mosley chalked up a double-double for the Brewers, posting 12 kills and 11 digs, and Tiajoloff also was one of three Vassar players with a double-double, chalking up 15 digs and 50 assists. Miller was the other player to double up, adding 13 digs to her tally, while Hallum led all players with 23 digs. Vassar College hit .124 (58-35-185) during the match, while both teams finished with 76 digs.

Sydney Hayward had 15 kills, 16 digs and four blocks for Cortland, and teammate Samantha Czeczotka posted 12 kills and 15 ups. Melanie McGuirk had 22 digs, and Liz Roberts handed out 42 assists.

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The Brewers are back in action next Friday evening in the Athletics and Fitness Center for the Vassar Invitational, taking on Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 6 p.m. and Mount Saint Vincent at 8 p.m. in non-conference play.