Playing host to one of the top teams in the region, the Tompkins Cortland Community College volleyball team came up short Thursday, losing to SUNY Broome in straight sets, 25-9, 25-22, 25-9. The Panthers are now 2-4 overall, 1-4 in Region III, and 1-2 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference. Broome is 7-0 overall, 5-0 in Region III, and 4-0 in the MSAC.
Broome used 11-2 runs in the early moments of both the first and third sets to run away with those contests, but the second set was a different story. The Panthers scored four of the first five points and built a lead of 8-2. After Broome rallied to pull within one at 9-8, Tompkins Cortland responded to push the lead back to four points at 13-9. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Hornets scored 12 of the next 13 points to take a 21-14 lead. To the Panthers credit, the team didn't roll over, clawing back to come within three points at 23-20. The final margin held at three points, leaving the Panthers just short of becoming just the second team this season to take a set from Broome.
Amanda Green (Lansing/Lansing H.S.) had a busy night with ten assists and eight digs. Jade VanWagenen (McGraw/McGraw H.S.) led the team with four kills and one block. Erin Harkenrider (Dryden/Dryden H.S.) had three kills and two aces.
The Panthers head to Binghamton this weekend for a Region III Pod, hosted by SUNY Broome. The Panthers will play three matches, squaring off against Herkimer College, Mohawk Valley Community College, and Fulton-Montgomery Community College.