CORTLAND. N.Y. - There probably couldn't be a better start to the season, especially in a year when Rochester will celebrate its volleyball history during Meliora Weekend in mid-October.

Rochester defeated host Cortland, 3-0, then defeated Utica College, 3-1, in the first two matches of the Red Dragon Invitational at SUNY Cortland on Friday night. The win over the hosts was Rochester's first win over Cortland in Cortland since the start of the rivalry in the 1980s. The Yellowjackets defeated the Red Dragons, 25-19, 29-27, 25-17. They followed that with a four-set win over the Pioneers (25-6, 23-25, 25-17, 25-17).

Jennie Ford registered 18 kills in the win over Cortland. That's a career best for her in a three-set match. Aimee Kohler had 33 assists and three service aces. Emma Gira had two aces and two solo blocks. Ford had 13 digs. Kohler and Ashley Hunter had 12. Meghan Connor had 11.

Against Utica, Gira topped the kill chart with 16. Ford had 14. Kohler had 37 assists. Gira had seven aces. Connor had three. Koehler, Ford, and Hunter had one each. Alexandra Goldman had two solo blocks and three block assists. Hunter had 14 digs and Connor had 19.