Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
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CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Fri., Oct. 7, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women's Volleyball

Devils win Union Tournament

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Fredonia State won all four of its matches and claimed the title of the Union Invitational Tournament.

Wins Saturday over host Union and Skidmore followed wins Friday over New Paltz and St. Lawrence.

Skidmore (No. 7) and New Paltz (No. 4) entered the week ranked ahead of the Blue Devils (21-5) in the New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Asssociation poll. The Blue Devils were No. 10.

Fredonia State's tighest match of the weekend came vs. Skidmore, a 3-2 victory. The Blue Devils won the first two games 30-22 and 30-19, dropped the next two, and securred the victory 15-10 in the fifth game. They are 6-1 in fifth games this season.

"That shows," head coach Geoff Braun said, "something about our character."

Sophomore outside hitter JaHanna Dixon (Hamburg/Frontier) and senior middle hitter Elizabeth Schaller (Marilla/St. Mary's) were the top hitters in the Skidmore match with 15 and 13 kills, respectively. Dixon added 21 digs and 2 blocks, while Schaller had 7 digs and 6 blocks.

In addition, sophomore defensive specialist Paula Baire (Lancaster/Nardin) had a team-high 26 digs, freshman defensive specialist Val Grell (Lancaster/Lancaster) had 22 digs, and sophomore defensive specialist Allyson Strein (Mineola/Mineola) added 21 digs. Senior setter Traci Pieczynski (Lancaster/St. Mary's) had 48 assists, 4 service aces, and 10 digs.

In the Union match, a 3-1 win by the Blue Devils (27-30, 30-17, 31-29, 30-19), Dixon had 18 kills and 12 digs, Schaller 15 kills, junior middle hitter Stephanie DeGolier (Cassadaga/Cassadaga Valley) 10 kills and 10 blocks, Baire 24 digs, and Pieczynski 57 assists, 10 digs and 2 blocks.

Fredonia State defeated New Paltz, 3-0, and St. Lawrence, 3-0, on Friday at the Union Invitational Tournament.

Dixon had 14 kills, two blocks and 10 digs in the 30-27, 30-26, 30-23 victory over New Paltz. Schaller finished with 11 kills, three blocks and two aces while Pieczynski had 31 assists, seven digs and one block.

The Blue Devils then swept 30-28, 30-21, 31-29. Schaller was the top hitter with 15 kills, two blocks and three aces. Dixon recorded eight kills and four digs. Pieczynski dished out 33 assists and served up four aces.

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