CORTLAND, N.Y.– Less than 18 hours after seeing its 11-match winning streak end at #24 Ithaca, Eastern University Women's Volleyball rebounded with a convincing three-set win against a very good Cortland team. The Eagles handed the host Red Dragons (12-3), a 2022 NCAA Tournament team, just their third loss of the 2023 campaign.

The Eagles (14-3) put together a strong defensive effort through the afternoon and found their margin with aggressive serving, solid serve-receive, and a balanced attack.

Grace Casagrande and Trinity Gruber each five digs in a 25-20 first set win, but it was a huge dig by defensive specialist Viviana Fragoso that set the tone for the match. The sophomore from California picked up a ball on the opening point and the Eagles jumped to a 3-0 lead. Eastern never trailed in the first set and built a 17-10 lead. They hit only .122 in the frame, but with four blocks and 19 digs, the Eastern defense held the Red Dragons to .070. Emma Flores and Logan Martin combined on a block to earn the final point of the set.

The hosts led 8-4 early in the second set, but the Eagles scored points on six of seven serve rotations to go up 22-19. Casagrande had a big run of four service points to put the Eagles up 14-11. Gruber and Grace Cooper each had aces in the run. The Eagles were able to run good offense in serve-receive and hit .185 in winning the second set 25-21.

The Eagles hit .277 and were successful on 15-of-22 sideout chances in a 25-22 win the third. The Eagles took the lead at 3-2 and never trailed in the set. The Eagles led 23-18 before a series of great rallies that ended in Cortland points pulled the hosts to within 23-22. Bridgette Kelly stopped the run with a kill and Gruber served for the final point.

Elle Jiron-Bujanda had 14 of her 32 assists in the final set. Bridget Kelly had four kills, two blocks, and two aces to account for eight of Eastern's points in the final set.

Kelly finished with seven kills, four aces, and three blocks. Hannah Pringle had 11 kills, and Martin added nine. Casagrande recorded 18 digs and Gruber had 11.

"It was a really nice defensive effort today," Head Coach Mark Birtwistle said after the match. "Casa was really strong and solidified our group. Elle did a great job running our offense, and we had a some really great swings that their libero dug. Credit to her for keeping some of those points alive."

The Eagles now enter a stretch of four-straight midweek league games. They will host Albright on Wednesday in their only match next week.