Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. –  The Ithaca College volleyball team (1-3) suffered a pair of losses Saturday to conclude action at the DeSales Invitational at Billera Hall. The Bombers opened with a four-set loss to the host Bulldogs (3-0), 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-21), and fell to Muhlenberg (2-2), 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-23).

Junior Rylie Bean, Ithaca's representative on the all-tournament team, led the Bombers with 17 kills against DeSales. Rookie Shaelynn Schmidt put down eight and senior Abbie Hutchinson six. Sophomore Carly Garone set for 33 assists and freshman Myan Idziur dug out 13 times.

Ithaca opened strong taking a 5-2 lead and adding to it for a 14-10 gap. The Bulldogs would tie action at 14 and 15, but Ithaca tallied 10 of the final 14 points for a 1-0 lead. DeSales responded with a 25-20 second-set win, leading the entire game. Ithaca had the set within one, 8-7, but a 10-3 Bulldog run positioned the home squad well to knot the series. DeSales jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third. Ithaca chipped away at the deficit to deadlock the game, 14-14. The Bulldogs recorded five unanswered, but Ithaca responded with a go-ahead run for a 23-22 edge. DeSales posted three of the final four points to secure the third. Despite suffering an early 7-1 deficit in the fourth, Ithaca battled to tie the set at 16. The Bulldogs prevailed down the stretch with a 25-21 victory.

Against the Mules, Bean registered a .429 hitting percentage with 11 kills and just two errors on 21 swings. Hutchinson added six kills, while Garone dished out 30 assists.

Ithaca led the first frame, 10-7, but Muhlenberg would take the lead indefinitely on a 6-0 run. The Mules carried their momentum into the second set, powering to a 25-15 victory, highlighted by an 8-1 opening streak. The Bombers battled in the third. The back-and-forth set was tied on 11 occasions, lastly at 21-21. Back-to-back Muhlenberg kills allowed the Mules a 23-21 lead. Ithaca won two of the next three to pull within 24-23, but the Mules put the match away with a kill for the straight-set sweep.

The Bombers open action in the freshly renovated Ben Light Gymnasium hosting the Bomber Invitational Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6-7.