ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca volleyball team tallied its third and fourth consecutive victories defeating Widener 3-1 (28-30, 25-20, 25-12, 25-17) and Baptist Bible 3-1 (24-26, 25-17, 25-15, 25-20) en route to winning the 2010 Bomber Invitational. Junior Karin Edsall (Cornwall Central/Cornwall) was named the tournament most valuable player, while senior Taylor Horton (Lakeridge/Lake Oswego, Ore.) and sophomore Marissa Woodcome (Pittsford-Sutherland/Pittsford) were also named to the all-tournament team.
Against Widener, the Bombers made a come-from-behind run to win their third straight on home turf.
Ithaca led 19-13 in the first stint before Widener brought the game within two, 22-20, and went on to take a 23-22 lead. The game bounced back-and-forth and was tied on several occasions before the Pride secured the two-point lead to take the first of four, 30-28.
In the second game Widener looked strong early as it recorded a commanding 8-1 cushion, but the Bombers inched their way back to lead 16-15 mid-way through the frame. Edsall tallied one of her team-high three solo blocks to award the Bombers a 21-19 lead and Ithaca continued to stay a step ahead of the competition to win the second, 25-20.
The third game featured a 6-2 Ithaca start, a lead that the Bombers never gave up. Ithaca kept a steady advantage throughout the game to secure its largest single-game victory of the season, 25-12.
The teams were neck and neck early until Ithaca boosted a marginal 7-6 lead to 12-6. The Pride brought the game within three but the Bombers held on for a 25-17 victory.
Six Bombers posted double-figure digs, while Woodcome, freshman Sydney Folk (Long Beach/Long Beach) and sophomore Stephanie Lavallato (Hunterdon Central/Flemington, N.J.) each notched double-doubles.
Woodcome recorded 18 assists and 14 digs, Folk tallied 23 assists and 10 digs, and Lavallato led the offense with 18 kills and 20 digs. Junior Chelsea Hayes (Northern Valley Regional/Haworth, N.J.) added 12 kills for Ithaca.
Woodcome and senior Tina Orlandini (Flintridge Sacred Heart/Altadena, Calif.) each posted three aces while the team had 10 total.
Edsall led the Bomber defense with five blocks (3 solo, 2 assists) and junior Kate Thoene (Voorhees/High Bridge, N.J.) added two, both solo.
Mirroring the outcome of the Widener match, Ithaca lost a close first set to Baptist Bible before winning three straight to take all honors and win the tournament.
The Bombers fell to the Defenders 26-24 in the first stint and used a strong 16-8 second-set advantage to knot the match at one game a piece with a 25-17 victory.
Tied on several occasions, including a 7-7 stalemate, the Bombers used a 10-2 run to lead 17-9. Back-to-back blocks and a Lavallato kill would decide the 25-15 Ithaca win.
The teams stayed consistent and kept the game close early, but Ithaca was able to gain ground and finalize the match with a 25-20 fourth-game victory.
Hayes and Edsall recorded 11 and 9 digs, respectively, while Folk contributed 28 assists. In Ithaca’s second four-game match of the day, just their third of the season, four Bombers tallied 10 or more digs. Horton dug out 28 times, Orlandini 16, Folk 15, and Lavallato 13.
Horton and Edsall shared serving accolades as they each posted three aces.
Thone posted nine blocks throughout the mach (5 solo, 4 assists), and Edsall and junior Elizabeth Previte (Hunterdon Central/Flemington, N.J.) each had five (two solo, three assists).