Morrisville, NY- The Alfred State Volleyball team ignited their 2025 season with a pair of wins at the Morrisville Classic. With a comeback win against Western New England, 3-2 (22-25, 17-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-8) and a strong 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-8) win over Thomas, the Pioneers head into tomorrow with a 2-0 record.
 
In game one, Alayna Tomlinson nailed down 20 kills, 12 digs and two aces. Freshmen, Gloria Stem, made her debut on the court, notching 17 kills in game one and 14 in game two.
 
ASC and Western fought hard in the first set, until the Golden Bears took the lead after a Caitlyn Gilman kill. With a 22-22 score, the Pios couldn't grab those last important points as Western took the first set win, 25-22. The Golden Bears also grabbed set two, 25-17.
 
The Pioneers quickly made the turn around, as they went on to win the following three sets. With the score 8-7, Bears up by one, the Pios would go on a seven-point rally to take the lead, 14-8. Gilman nailed an crucial kill to push ASC into taking the third set win, 25-20. With a 3-0 jump in the fourth set, the Pios were eager to take another set win. Erin Gregoire slated a kill to tie the set 20-20, followed by a Tomlinson kill. After a ASC service error, Tomlinson would grab yet another kill to continue to keep the tension and take the lead. Alli Hillyard and Stem would secure the fourth set with back-to-back kills, 26-24. In an aggressive fifth set, the Pioneers would pull through to take the match win, 15-8.
 
In game two, ASC would sweep the Thomas Terriers in three sets. The Pios were determined while going on a solid five-point rally, kick-started by a bad Terrier set, followed by a Stem kill. Hillyard and Rebecca Jackson would piggyback off Stem to put the Pioneers up 9-5. Alfred would secure the win 25-15. In a more intense second set, ASC had to battle until they were able to hold the Terriers to 18, where Stem would complete the set with a kill.
 
With high energy going into the third set, Carmen Crowley lit the Pioneers 10 point rally, where Jackson also aided as well, 11-1. After a singular Thomas point, ASC went on to grab four more points off two Ava Wickes aces and two Jackson kills. The Pios secured the win as Stem notched two kills and a Terrier error, 25-8.
 
Alfred State will be back on the court tomorrow at noon and 2 pm to take on Geneva and SUNY Poly.