Corning Volleyball Defeats Alfred State in Final Regular Season Meeting

This weekends POD match-up at TC3 was the site for what has become a classic Region III Volleyball rivalry for the Corning Red Barons and Alfred State Pioneers.  The two rivals met for their last regular season contest this weekend.  At the conclusion of this year, Alfred State will become a four-year institution and will not compete in NJCAA Region III again.  Over the years, the two have battled in some very dramatic, entertaining and high-stakes games.  The final bragging rights though, will go to the Corning Red Barons as they were able to outlast the Pioneers in a five-set battle that fans have come to expect when these two square-off. 

In set one, the Pioneers started strong and Corning tried to play catch-up from the first serve.  Alfred was able to cruise to a 19-25 win.   Set two was polar opposite as it was the Red Barons that jumped out on fire.  Corning was very productive off the service line as they earned 13 service points in the set to pull away with a 25-21 victory.  Corning kept the momentum in set three and defeated the Pioneers 25-20 to take the 2-1 lead.  Alfred State wasn't done as they took advantage of some Corning miscues and poor offensive production to send the game into a fifth set with a 19-25 win.  The decisive set five was all Red Barons as they tallied 9 service points to win 15-7.   Mollie Peck ended the match with 16 kills, 3 aces, 6 digs and 14 service points.  Evelyn Caceres added 12 kills and 4 blocks while Shirlyn Poplaski added 11 service points. 

In game two, Corning played Finger Lakes CC and came away with a four-set victory.  Finger Lakes jumped out to an early lead and took set one 22-25, but that was as close as the Lakers would get.  Corning came out and won the next three straight sets 25-14, 25-17 and 25-17.  Peck was again commanding as she pounded 11 kills, served 3 aces and had 7 digs.  Gina Parrillo served up 5 aces and 18 service points. 

In the last match of the day, Corning met up with Monroe CC.  The Tribunes were able to put the Barons away in three-straight, but very exciting sets; 22-25, 23-25 and 24-26.  Caceres was highly efficient offensively as she went 7 for 9 in kills and had 2 blocks.  Peck was once again the go-to as she recorded 16 kills.  Corning setter Chelsea Hutsick tallied 90 setter assists on the afternoon. 

Corning travels to Cayuga CC on October 16 and then has a rematch with MCC on October 18 to end the regular-season.