ONEONTA , N.Y. - The SUNY Geneseo women's volleyball team kicked off their 2025 season on Friday, August 29th, playing two matches in Oneonta, NY. The Knights took on Penn and Baruch College, starting strong with a 3-0 victory over Penn in their opening match. They followed up with a 3-1 victory over Baruch to close out the day.
 
Geneseo vs Penn

• In their opening set, Geneseo and Penn were neck-and-neck until the Knights pulled away with a 15-10 lead. They were able to maintain control from there, and they closed out the set 25-14. Ayla Pas'cal led the charge with three kills, while Cory Elder and Emily Lupini each added two.
• The Knights were able to keep a steady lead throughout the entire second set, with Penn trailing close but unable to catch up. Geneseo kept the pressure on and secured a 25-17 victory. Zooey Gagnier contributed with two service aces, boosting the team's momentum.
• In the third set, Geneseo dominated from start to finish without giving Penn time to catch up, and won 25-7. Peyton Cole started things off with a kill, and then proceeded to pick up two more. Ellie McLennan and Gagnier each tallied two service aces, fueling the Knight's offense. 

Geneseo vs Baruch

• The Knights broke ahead early, as Elder led the offense with two kills and two service aces. Baruch struggled to respond, and Geneseo cruised to a 25-11 win in the opening set.
• The second set was evenly matched all the way through, with the lead shifting back and forth between both teams. Geneseo tried to keep up, but Baruch scraped by with a 25-23 win. Ayla Pas'cal recorded two kills, while Elder tallied three to keep the offense alive.
• Geneseo started off strong in the third set, but Baruch clawed their way back after the Knight's offense went flat in the middle of the set. Ellie McLennan stepped up with three service aces to flip the momentum back in their favor, and Geneseo closed out the set with a 25-20 win.
• In the fourth set, Geneseo kept their foot on the gas, finishing strong with a 25-19 victory. Sydney Leigh-Manuell played a pivotal role, recording four kills, while Cory Elder added three to seal the win.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Knights will return to Oneonta early tomorrow morning to take on the Red Dragons at 10 a.m., then will face Vassar at noon to close out their opening weekend.