Union, N.J. - September 8, 2023 - The Springfield College women's volleyball was upended for the first time this season as it dropped a five-set battle to Cortland at Kean University on Friday evening.  Cortland won by the scores of 25-13, 20-25, 17-25, 25-22, 15-8.

Springfield fell to 4-1 on the season with the loss, while the Red Dragons lifted their record to 4-0.

Natalie Billet (Commack, N.Y.) paced the Pride with 15 kills and 13 digs, Riley Donahue (South Windsor, Conn.) added 11 kills, and Ally Townsend (Hummelstown, Pa.) racked up a season-best 23 digs.  Tori Colosimo (Fairport, N.Y.) registered 20 assists and a career-best eight aces and Maeve Voltz (Bay Shore, N.Y.) contributed six blocks and six kills.  Springfield was limited to a .073 hitting percentage in the setback.  

The Pride led 10-9 in the first set following a Colosimo ace, but Cortland would pour on a 16-4 burst to run away with a 25-13 victory.  

Knotted up a 6-6 in the second, Springfield seized control with a 9-3 push as a stuff block from Billet would force Cortland into a timeout.  The Pride's lead would grow to 19-12 before it tied up the match at a set apiece with a 25-20 victory.  Billet accounted for six kills in the frame to pace the Pride. 

The Pride used a 10-5 run early in the third set to open up a 17-12 lead as it would coast to a 25-17 triumph and be one set away from victory.  Billet was impressive in the stanza with six kills, while Voltz notched four blocks that kept the Red Dragons offense at bay with a -.079 hitting percentage. 

A kill from Emily Keaveney (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) allowed Springfield to snag a 19-17 lead in the fourth as Cortland burned a timeout.  Out of the break, the Red Dragons put together a 5-1 burst to fuel its late run en route to a 25-22 victory and force a fifth set. 

In the fifth, Cortland had eight kills on 18 errorless attempts and rattled off a 7-0 run to close out the match in the 15-8 victory.