The Genesee Community College volleyball team may have dropped its opening match of the season 3-1 to Erie, but showed tremendous perseverance in the process.

The Cougars were just a handful of plays away from sweeping the Kats on their court. The combined set scores from the first three favored Erie by just a pair of points at 75-73.

In the first three sets, Genesee battled back from a minimum of six points to as much as seven in edge-of-the-seat action that went back-and-forth all night long.

In the first two sets, it couldn't have been closer. Erie took the first 25-23 with the second set being as close with Erie winning 27-25.

In the third set, the Genesee rally paid dividends with their first set win of the season at 25-23. The Cougars stayed even with the Kats for about half of the fourth set before falling 25-19.

Genesee's play looks promising after taking a nationally-ranked team from last year to the brink, especially when you factor in opening-day jitters.

Ana Carolina Cerezer Pinto led the team in three categories that included digs (24), kills (13) and aces with five. Lyndsey Rowland finished with six blocks with two being solo.

Of the team's 86 overall digs, four Cougars recorded double-digits. In addition to Pinto's 24, Audriana Reeves recorded 20, Grace Zandrowicz had 15 and Katherine Alsworth  registered 13.

The Cougars will next host three other teams in their home opener Sept. 8 with play set to begin around 9 a.m.