For just the second time in school history, the Buffalo State Bengals are in the title game of the State University at New York Athletic Conference. The Bengals are hosting Cortland. The Red Dragons won an early-season non-conference meeting in four games.
Buffalo State is 26-7 overall while Cortland is 32-5.
Check back for updates from the match.
Set One
Cortland leads 11-8. The Bengals came out firing and took a 6-4 lead, but the Red Dragons used a 5-1 run to take the lead.
Trailing, 10-14, Buffalo State rattles off four straight points to tie the set.
Time out Bengals with Cortland leading, 17-14. Buffalo State has eight hitting errors. That with some miscommunication has them playing inconsistent. Cortland has taken advantage of Buffalo State's mistakes.
Better play out of the timeout and Buffalo State takes an 18-17 lead.
The Red Dragons were serving at 24-21 but the Bengals ralllied and tied the set, 24-24. A service error gave Cortland set point again and this time they converted.
Cortland wins the first set, 26-24.
Set Two
Cortland leads, 7-5. The Bengals are inconsistent but the Red Dragons can't quite pull away.
Bengals took an 8-7 lead but Cortland nabs the next three points for a 10-8 advantage.
Buffalo State had Cortland scrambling and the Red Dragons pounded a ball back over the net from the basketball endzone. And it dropped without ap play from the Bengals. Cortland takes a 19-16 lead and Buffalo State calls time out.
The "free ball" is not so free and easy for Buff State. They failed to get the dig and trail, 22-19.
A service error by the Bengals followed by a hitting error gives Cortland a two set lead.
Cortland wins the second set, 25-20.
Set Three
Buff State started with a 2-0 lead. Cortland gets swinging to go up 5-3 early.
Some impressive and strong play from the Bengals has them up, 10-7.
And just like that, Cortland leads, 11-10.
Bengals had taken a 15-14 lead but Cortland comes back. Mental error by Buffalo State gives Cortland an 18-15 lead.
Cortland wins, 25-21.
--- Amy Moritz
www.twitter.com/amymoritz
