GENESEO, N.Y. - SUNY Geneseo senior middle blocker Courtney Cleary totaled 11 kills on 14 swings for a .786 attack percentage while first-year outside hitter Grace Cergol compiled 18 kills and a .500 attack percentage to lead the Knights to a 3-0 (25-10, 25-10, 25-20) victory over visiting Alfred, Wednesday.

Sophomore setter Emily Ast compiled 23 assists in directing the Knights attack to a .400 night on the attack. Senior libero Danielle Sayler anchored the defense with a match-best 13 digs. 

The first set saw Geneseo (6-7) turn an 8-5 edge into a 21-9 advantage during a 13-3 run highlighted by three Cergol kills. The Knights scored four of the final five points of the set to take the 1-0 lead.

Tied, 4-4, in the early going of the second set, five-consecutive points on the serve of first-year setter Shea Casey kicked off a 14-4 spurt that staked Geneseo to a 18-8 lead. Cergol notched four kills as the Knights scored seven of the final nine points, including six-straight to close out the second set on the serve of first-year defensive specialist Sam Mendelsohn, for a 2-0 lead.

Geneseo jumped out to a 12-6 lead in the third, but the Saxons (5-8) used a 4-1 run to pull within three, 13-10. The Knights built their lead back up to seven, 22-15, but Alfred made it a three-point match, 23-20, after a 5-1 run keyed by a pair of kills by junior outside hitter Heather D'Andrea. However, a Cleary kill followed by a Saxon hitting error closed the match for Geneseo.

The Knights kick off play in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) this Friday and Saturday with the first of the season's three pool plays. Geneseo will take on Fredonia on Friday at 7:00 p.m. before taking on Oswego (12:30 p.m.) and  host Potsdam (3:00 p.m.) on Saturday.