Rochester, N.Y. – Ithaca (10-7, 3-1 Empire 8) tallied its first five-set match victory over Elmira (8-5, 2-1 Empire 8), 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 16-25, 25-19, 15-13) on Sunday morning before defeating Nazareth (8-10, 3-1 Empire 8) in four, 3-1 (30-28, 21-25, 25-21, 25-13).
The Bombers made a come-from-behind run as they took the second, fourth and fifth games from the previously undefeated in the conference squad in Elmira.
In the first set the Bombers were able to gain a four-point advantage on multiple occasions, but a late surge would give the Soaring Eagles their first lead since holding a 5-4 edge. Elmira knotted the game at 20 and held on for the two-point, 25-23, victory.
The second game featured similar competition, but the tables were turned as Ithaca made-up a 17-20 deficit and outscored Elmira 8-3 down the stretch to tie the series at 1-1.
Elmira went on to lead the second stanza, 13-8, before the Bombers brought the game within one, 14-13. Elmira reinstated its advantage as it finished the third on an 11-3 run earning a 25-16 victory.
Though close early, the fourth frame finished as the Bombers outlasted the Soaring Eagles on a 7-2 run to bring the series to 2-2 with a 25-19 set score.
The fifth set was tied four times and once held a five-point spread in Ithaca’s favor. The Bombers earned an 11-6 advantage before the Soaring Eagles recorded five unanswered to bring the game to 11-11. Ithaca notched the next two points, but Elmira again worked its way back to a 13-13 stalemate. A pair of kills by junior Chelsea Hayes (Northern Valley Regional/Haworth, N.J.) proved to be the icing on the cake to help Ithaca to a 15-13 victory.
Hayes led the Bombers with 18 kills while junior Kate Thoene (Voorhees/High Bridge, N.J.) added 12 on a team-leading 44 assists from freshman Sydney Folk (Long Beach/Long Beach). Three Bombers tallied double-digit digs led by senior Taylor Horton (Lakeridge/Lake Oswego, Ore.) with 16. Junior Jessica Hoeffner (Hauppauge/Hauppauge) and senior Tina Orlandini (Flintridge Sacred Heart/Altadena, Calif.) each dug out 12 times. Thoene was also a force to reckon with at the net recording five blocks (1 solo, four assists).
In the second match of the day, Ithaca won the first set battle before dropping the second and securing the next two sets for a 3-1 win.
The first set was neck-and-neck until the Golden Flyers pulled ahead 18-13. Ithaca responded and knotted the game at 24 after refusing Nazareth three set-point opportunities. The score bounced back-and-forth until a Nazareth service error coupled with a Hayes kill put the Bombers ahead two for the win, 30-28.
In the second frame Ithaca held the advantage early but Nazareth tied the game at 9-9 forcing an Ithaca timeout. The Golden Flyers went on to lead 13-12 and held it throughout the remainder of the game to win, 25-21.
Ithaca mirrored Nazareth’s second-set score in the third set, winning 25-21. The Golden Flyers led much of the set including a seven-point spread, 18-11, but Ithaca outlasted its opponent by outscoring them, 14-3, to clinch a 2-1 series advantage.
Ithaca’s momentum carried into the fourth set as the Bombers not once trailed and finished out the fourth, 25-13, as they finalized their two-day Empire 8 action with their third consecutive victory.
Hoeffner led the team with a season-high 15 kills, while Hayes added 11. Folk and sophomore Marissa Woodcome (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford) shared setting duties as they recorded 23 and 18 assists, respectively.
The Bombers again put three in double-digit dig as Hoeffner and Horton each had 17 and Orlandini notched 13.
Thoene and junior Karin Edsall (Cornwall Central/Cornwall) were both strong at the net as Thoene recorded a season-high nine blocks (three solo, six assists) and Edsall six (six assists).