Bombers Power to Victories over Hartwick and Stevens
Rochester, N.Y. – The Ithaca volleyball team (19-12, 4-3 Empire 8) defeated Hartwick (12-18, 2-4 Empire 8), 3-1 (13-25, 25-14, 25-13, 25-15), before handling Stevens (15-19, 5-2 Empire 8) in straight sets, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-18), on day two of the Empire 8 Crossover hosted by St. John Fisher.
Despite being eliminated from the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, the Bombers claimed their first three-set victory since Oct. 7. with the win over the Ducks.
After the Hawks claimed the first set with ease, Ithaca bounced back to take three straight by double-digit point advantages.
Hartwick used a 9-1 run to open the match before improving on a 14-7 gap with 7-2 stretch en route to taking the first, 25-13.
Ithaca capitalized on an 11-8 edge in the second, scoring 11 of the next 14 points, to run away with the set, 25-14.
The third was knotted up several times before Ithaca snapped a 7-7 tie to take a 14-8 lead. The Bombers tallied 11 of the final 16 points to take a 2-1 series lead, 25-13.
Finalizing the match in four, Ithaca secured a 25-15 final set win. The Bombers jumped out to a commanding 7-1 lead before the Hawks used eight unanswered to take a 9-7 lead. The Blue & Gold responded with nine consecutive and maintained its lead for the victory.
Senior Kate Thoene (Voorhees/High Bridge, N.J.) led the Bombers with 14 kills and classmate Senior Jessica Hoeffner (Hauppauge/Hauppauge) hit for 13. Thoene had eight blocks. Senior Karin Edsall (Cornwall Central/Cornwall) dished out 37 assists and junior Marissa Woodcome (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford) dug out 21 times.
Ithaca powered to a three-set victory in the day’s second match, taking the Ducks, 25-12, 25-15, 25-18.
The first set opened in Ithaca’s favor, 9-3, before taking a double-digit, 15-5 advantage. The Bombers outlasted Stevens, 10-7, down the stretch to claim the first with authority, 25-12.
Stevens took a 4-1 edge in the second, but Ithaca rebounded to tie it up at 4-4. The game was knotted six additional times before the Bombers broke an 11-11 score with a trio of points. Ithaca put away 10 of the set’s final 11 points to win, 25-15, and take a 2-0 series lead.
Ithaca dominated in the third, taking an early 9-2 cushion, but Stevens broke back to bring the stanza within one, 14-13. The Bombers claimed 11 of the final 16 points to win in straight sets.
Senior Chelsea Hayes (Northern Valley Regional/Haworth, N.J.) had a match-high 14 kills on a .478 hitting percentage. Hoeffner added 11 in addition to her 10 digs, while Edsall again added a match-best 24 assists.
Hartwick Box Score |
Stevens Box Score