ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College volleyball team (2-3) stole a straight-set win, 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-16), from visiting Cazenovia (2-5) in its home opener Friday night, before falling to Widener (4-3), 3-0 (25-9, 25-21, 25-22) on day one of the Bomber Invitational. It is the first contest to be hosted in Ithaca's renovated Ben Light Gymnasium.

Ithaca hit .338 against Cazenovia, highlighted by a .500 first-set performance. Nine Bombers recorded kills. Freshman Shaelynn Schmidt led the squad with nine and junior Rylie Bean chipped in six. Sophomore Carly Garone and rookie Molly Brown split setting duties, tallying 20 and 11, respectively. Ithaca served up 17 aces to the Wildcats' four. Junior Abbie Hutchinson forced Cazenovia to commit four receiving errors. Defensively, freshman Myan Idziur dug out 12 times to lead the match.

The Bombers powered to an 8-1 start on Idziur's serve. Ithaca capitalized on a 14-7 gap with seven unanswered before closing out the first, 25-9. Senior Justine Duryea served Ithaca to a 4-0 lead in the second. Cazenovia answered, knotting action at 8-8, but the Bombers posted nine of the next 12 en route to a 25-13 second-set win. The final frame opened in Ithaca's favor, 9-2. Cazenovia could not recover as Ithaca ran away with the third, 25-16.

Against Widener, Schmidt again led the Bombers with 11 kills. Classmate Siobhan Sorensen posted five. Garone set for 13 assists and Brown seven. Idziur dug out 10 times and rookie Breanne Tuohy put up three blocks.

The first was knotted early at 3 and 4, but the Pride erupted for 13 straight and 17 of the next 18 points for a 21-5 lead. Widener secured the first with ease, 25-9. The second set was deadlocked 10 times, lastly at 18 all. Four consecutive gave Widener a 22-18 gap. Ithaca snuck within 23-21, but the Pride polished off the second for a 2-0 series advantage. The Pride posted a 9-2 opening streak in the third. Ithaca replied with a 9-3 run to cut within one, 12-11. Four straight locked in Widener's lead indefinitely as it went on to take a 25-22 third-game win.

The Bombers will face Baptist Bible and Union on Saturday.

Tournament Website