Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College volleyball team (8-16) dropped a 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-22) decision to local foe Cortland (11-12) Wednesday night in Ben Light Gymnasium.

Despite suffering its fourth straight shutout, the Bombers improved their hitting percentage each set, tallying a .242 showing in the final frame.

Newcomers Grace Chang and Shaelynn Schmidt each recorded nine kills as classmate Molly Brown set for 24 assists. Freshman Siobhan Sorensen posted three blocks for the Bombers.

The Red Dragons recorded a kill on the opening point to secure the lead in the first. They powered to a 6-1 edge to claim a margin that the Bombers could not rewrite. Cortland won the first by double digits, 25-15.

Ithaca snapped a 2-2 tie in the second stint for a 5-2 edge on Myan Idziur's serve. The Red Dragons responded with eight unanswered. Cortland increased the gap to eight, 18-10, but Ithaca pieced together a run of its own to pull within one, 23-22. The visiting squad held strong to take a 2-0 series lead with a 25-22 victory.

The third set mirrored the second as Ithaca was within 23-22 in the waning moments, flirting with a fourth set. Action was knotted six times, before Cortland went ahead, 17-13. Ithaca answered with back-to-back Chang kills and a Syline Kim ace to bring the match to a 17-17 deadlock. Four additional ties followed. Cortland went ahead, 23-21, but the Bombers snuck within one, 23-22. Two kills finalized all action in three for Cortland.

The Red Dragons improved to 79-35 all-time against the Bombers winning their seventh straight contest.

Ithaca will host the Ithaca Tournament Oct. 11-12.