The Ithaca College volleyball team capped off the three-game slate Sept. 16 by sweeping the Susquehanna University River Hawks in three sets, 25–17, 25–19 and 25–18. The Bombers improved to a creditable 7–3 record after the win.
Unlike its previous game against SUNY Geneseo, the Bombers were determined to erase previous mistakes and not let opportunities slip away. They did so effectively by taking a stranglehold on the match early.
In the first set, the Bombers persistent offense forced River Hawks head coach Kuippo Tom to call two timeouts, as the South Hill squad jumped out to a comfortable 17–12 advantage. However, the timeouts were not enough to stop the Bombers, including senior middle blocker Jamie Koopman from dominating. Koopman filled up the scoresheet, totaling five points and five kills, contributing to a strong finish which saw the Bombers take set one 25–18.
The second set offered more of the same for both teams. Sloppy play and service errors from the River Hawks had the Bombers in the driver’s seat yet again. To make matters worse for the visitors, not only did their errant mistakes cost them, their offensive efforts were blocked at the net by sophomore middle blocker Ella Graper.
“I was trying to be super loud and aggressive in order to get the team to where we needed to be,” Graper said.
The Madison, Wisconsin native has had an admirable beginning to her sophomore season, notching three kills in the victory, and now 29 through the opening ten contests, to go along with 19 total blocks, good enough for second on the team. While Graper’s performance has improved on the court, she said she attributes her success to focusing on her mental performance over the summer.
“I worked a lot on my mental game, and I believe that is playing a big role for me this season,” Graper said.
Graper totaled three blocks in the second set, propelling the Bombers to a second straight set victory.
The third set offered steady contribution from a collaborative effort of Bombers. Junior outside hitter Faith Sabatier joined in on the fun, adding one block and three kills to her slate. First-year outside hitter Naomi Clauhs racked up four more kills, getting her season total to 42, good enough for fifth place in that respective category. Following more insult to injury from usual suspects Koopman and junior defensive specialist Ellie Benedict, the Bombers sent the River Hawks packing, earning a third set victory 25–17, securing the sweep.
Tough times continued for the River Hawks, getting swept in all three matches at the Bomber Invitational, falling to 3–8 on the season.
Head coach Johan Dulfer elaborated on what he thought was the common denominator in his team’s ability to stifle the River Hawks.
“We won the pass-serve battle, allowing us to run multiple options on offense,” Dulfer said. “This is how you are able to beat good teams.”
Furthermore, Dulfer alluded to a shift in energy that allowed his team to be more successful.
“The thing you can control most is the energy you bring to your teammates, and I thought we did a really good job doing that in this game,” Dulfer said.
The Bombers get set to travel to the New Paltz Invitational, facing off against the SUNY New Paltz Hawks at 6 p.m. Sept. 22 in New Paltz.
