Without wasting any time, the Chittenango girls volleyball team leapt into its 2011-12 season with a long battle at Cortland last Tuesday night.

And while the Bears lost in five sets to the Purple Tigers, it gave early notice that it could improve upon last season’s 9-11 mark.

Chittenango dropped a close first set 25-23, but pulled even by taking the second set 25-19 and also won the third set by a 25-20 margin.

However, the Bears could not put the match away. Cortland dominated the fourth set 25-12, and in a close final set Chittenango got within inches of victory, only to fall by the same 25-23 margin as the opener.

Rose Mashie led the Bears with 10 kills, six aces and assists. Emily Gibbons contributed 14 assists as Maddie Seguin gained four kills. Alyssa Mroczek managed three kills and three aces. For the Purple Tigers, Jenna Gregory managed 28 assists as Zakara Butts got 12 kills and five aces and Megan Howard had 15 digs.

Two nights later, at Mexico, the Bears would fall again, this time in three sets to the Tigers 25-15, 25-19, 25-19.

Try as it could, Chittenango could not sustain any kind of momentum. Mashie had seven kills, seven assists, two aces and two digs, while Ami Petosa put up seven digs. Gibbons got nine assists, with Gabby Loftus managing five kills. Kaleigh Koegel and Brianne Schiedo put up three kills apiece. Tamie Searles (13 kills) and Mary Teifke (18 assists) led Mexico’s efforts.

In all, Chittenango will play its first four matches on the road, going to Homer and Hannibal next week before a Dec. 10 home opener against Jamesville-DeWitt.