Robert Daniels
Junior setter Wesley Slavin recorded her 2000th assist in a shutout against the Hartwick College Hawks on Oct. 7.
The Ithaca College volleyball team earned its fifth shutout of the season in a win against the Hartwick College Hawks on Oct. 7 in the Ben Light Gymnasium, adding to a winning streak of eight games. Junior setter Wesley Slavin also recorded a milestone achievement of 2000 assists during the match.
The No. 17 ranked team made its home dominance known to the many Hartwick fans in attendance at Ben Light. Hartwick took the first serve, and IC junior outside hitter Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu received it, Slavin set it, then sophomore utility player Brianna Owen denied the chance for the Hawks to even touch the ball. The Bombers started off on a 4-0 run on two kills and two attack errors.
The Hawks evened the playing field, tying the set 4-4 on kills. Owen stopped the Hawks from taking the lead on a back set hit that bounced off the defender’s forearm, and the Bombers began to gain offensive control back. Throughout the first set, they recorded a .556 hitting percentage and only one attack error.
The Bombers proved their ability to play out of system after winning an almost 40-second rally, earning them their ninth point. Slavin showed her strong court vision skills, pushing the ball to the 10-foot-line when the Hartwick front row blockers were lined up at the net. Junior outside hitter Naomi Clauhs, the Bombers’ leader in kills, hit a power ball into the gap of the defenders, increasing the lead 11-7.
The Bombers’ defensive powerhouse also contributed to scoring points. Graduate student libero Ellie Benedict and senior defensive specialist Karina Garcia both earned service aces.
The South Hill Squad kept all of the momentum in the second half of the set, and one of the Bombers’ strongest players earned a personal accomplishment that amped up the sideline and crowd.
Slavin, the 2024 Liberty League Player of the Year, recorded her 2000th career assist, making her the ninth Ithaca College player to surpass 2000. She set up first-year middle blocker Addison Leadbetter on a jump set near the 10-foot-line to officially mark the milestone. The court announcer and players took a moment to recognize her contribution to the volleyball program on South Hill. Slavin said she couldn’t have done it without her teammates.
“Continuing to grow as a team and work together and achieve these goals as a team and as a unit, it’s all I can ask for,” Slavin said. “I love this program and the school, and being able to leave a legacy like that is really awesome.”
Clauhs cashed the first set victory 25-15 on an out of system set, after a sliding save from Benedict.
To start the second set of the match, the Hawks earned the first kill. Gonzalez-Abreu immediately responded by hitting the ball into a gap with the assist from Benedict.
Hartwick began to fight for their best run of the evening. After the Bombers trailed 5-9, they took a timeout to address the shift in energy on the sideline, court and in the crowd. The Hawks kept fighting hard, increasing the lead to 5-11. The away fans and the sideline began to make their presence known in South Hill, but they made five offensive errors in a row to let the Bombers play catch-up, before the 2024 Liberty League Champions showed why they are ranked nationally.
Slavin and the Bombers offense looked again to Clauhs, who delivered a push to the right-side line of the court to tie up the set 11-11. Over the Bombers’ next six points, four of those were kills from Clauhs, 2024 All-Liberty League First Team player. The Bombers’ defense also undoubtedly helped them regain control. For the 13th Bomber point, senior middle blocker Ella Graper played a ball off the net, which landed in front of Slavin, who dived to keep it up. Clauhs’ reflexes responded quickly, passing the ball on her knees over the net, traveling over the heads of the Hawks defense.
The Bombers looked to take the second set, but on the second set point, the Hawks played very strong defensively on an out of system long rally to temporarily hold off the Bombers. Their efforts weren’t quite enough; Clauhs ended the set 25-20 after a failed block.
The Bombers brought their late set momentum into the third, starting it off 6-1. The Hawks took a timeout, but it wasn’t stopping the No. 19 ranked team. The pace of the match sped up significantly, with the Bombers earning points on lots of quick offensive plays. Hartwick closed the lead down to 7-4, but many Bombers players continued to strike.
Sophomore right side Zoe Strachan, who made her second appearance of the season, officially ended the night on a snap hit that ricocheted off the Hartwick defender. The Bombers stayed undefeated at home, showcasing their skills as a well-rounded team.
Three hitters, Clauhs, Leadbetter and Gonzalez-Abreu tied for 10 kills each, Benedict led for digs with 14 and Slavin added 35 to her groundbreaking total. Every team member on the court fought to stay undefeated 31-0 all-time against Hartwick. Head coach Tara Stilwell felt the match was a reflection on the things that the Bombers emphasized.
“It felt really good,” Stilwell said. “We really talked about … controlling everything and dictating the game, rather than waiting for it to happen, and so that’s the outcome. It’s great.”
The Bombers will turn around quickly to face Vassar College Brewers at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 in Poughkeepsie, New York.