The Ithaca College volleyball team played in the Skidmore Invitational in Saratoga Springs, New York on Oct. 28–29, winning two out of its three matches.
The Bombers lost their first match to SUNY New Paltz 2–3 Oct. 28, in a series of five competitive sets. The Hawks took the first set by a score of 25–21. The Blue and Gold took the next two sets by scores of 25–17 and 25–15, respectively, to take a 2–1 lead in the match. The Hawks won the next set by a score of 25–22 to set up the game-clinching fifth set. The South Hill squad fell to the Hawks 16–18, which gave the Hawks the victory.
For the Bombers, junior outside hitter Joelle Goldstein and freshman outside hitter Taylor McCarthy led the team with 10 kills each. Freshman setter Caitlyn Floyd and junior setter Kayla Gromen tied for team lead with 21 assists each. Sophomore defensive specialist Tara Stilwell led the team with 26 digs. For the Hawks, senior outside hitter Morgan Roessler led the team with 12 kills, junior setter Maddie Zwickl led the team with 30 assists and senior outside hitter Anna Paulik led the team with 14 digs.
The Blue and Gold bounced back with a three set sweep of SUNY Potsdam in its second match of the tournament Oct. 29. The South Hill squad won the first set 25–18, the second set 25–14 and emerged victorious in the third set 25–23.
For the Bombers, sophomore middle hitter Amanda Cerruti led the team with 11 kills. Additionally, Floyd led the team with 21 assists while Stilwell contributed a team-high 11 digs. For the Bears, junior opposite outside hitter Rachel Topf led the team with 10 kills while sophomore setter Brianna Rodda led the team with 27 assists. Topf tied senior defensive specialist Sloane Campbell for the team lead with seven digs.
The South Hill squad ended the weekend with a victory over the SUNY Geneseo Knights. The Bombers won the match in four sets.
This invitational concludes the regular season for the Bombers. They will play in the Empire 8 Championships at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 5 against Nazareth College in Hoboken, New Jersey.
