Schenectady, N.Y.—Ithaca opened the Interleague Challenge at Union with a 24-26, 25-18, 25-19, 25-20 win over Empire 8 rival Hartwick. The Bombers (12-13) were led by their junior class, including Rachel Busch (Hoover/North Canton, Ohio), who picked up a career-best 20 kills.

The trio of Busch, Jen Heberton (Darien/Darien, Conn.), and Francine Nikas (Greenwich/Greenwich, Conn.) combined for 44 of the Bombers' 54 kills. Fellow junior Corinna Doctor (Skaneateles/Skaneateles) tallied 40 assists in the win.

Defensively, sophomore Tina Orlandini (Flintridge Sacred Heart/Altadena, Calif.) led the Bombers with 26 digs. Doctor added 13.

The two teams played to a 9-9 tie in the third set after splitting the first two. An 7-3 run put the Hawks up by four points. Ithaca responded with a rally of its own, capped by two aces from sophomore Taylor Horton (Lakeridge/Lake Oswego, Ore.) that put the Bombers up 19-18. Orlandini registered two aces of her own as part of the 7-2 Ithaca run that closed the set. As a team, the Bombers totaled 11 aces, led by Doctor and Orlandini with three apiece.

Up two sets to one, the Bombers jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the fourth set, an advantage they never relinquished. Busch picked up six of her kills in the finale.

In the opener, Hartwick scored the final two points of the set to break a 24-24 tie.

After the Hawks aced the first point of the second set, the Bombers never trailed, taking control with a 15-8 advantage. Nikas and Busch each put down five kills in the set.

Ithaca continues play at 6 p.m. against Potsdam.

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