New Paltz Box Score | Johnson & Wales Box Score

New Paltz, N.Y. -- The Ithaca (6-6) volleyball team dropped its second straight match as the Bombers fell in four sets to host New Paltz (10-4), 3-1, (25-21, 25-27, 25-20, 25-19) on day two of the Hawk Invitational. But Ithaca bounced back in the second match of the day blanking Johnson & Wales (5-4), 3-0, (25-19, 25-18, 25-20).

The Bombers fell short of the Hawks in the first game despite jumping out to a commanding 7-0 lead as freshman Sydney Folk (Long Beach/Long Beach) assumed serving duties. New Paltz tied the contest at 10-10 and went on to take a 21-16 advantage before the Bombers dwindled the separation to just one point, 21-20, but the home squad held on for the first set victory, 25-21.

Again in the second, Ithaca took the lead early, 6-0, before New Paltz mirrored its game one performance and knotted the score, this time at 8-8. The score varied no more than three points in either direction until Ithaca secured a two-point margin to capture the second stanza, 27-25.

Game three opened in the Hawks' favor until Ithaca capitalized on a 5-0 spurt to lead 12-7. New Paltz inched its way back to tie the game at 17-17, and continued to control play, taking the third set, 25-20.

The Hawks finalized the match winning set four, 25-19, as New Paltz outscored Ithaca 4-1 down the stretch for the win.

Junior Kate Thoene (Voorhees/High Bridge, N.J.) headed the Bombers' offensive efforts tallying 14 kills, while adding three solo blocks to boot. Folk recorded 26 assists during the match and fell one dig short of a double-double, with nine. Sophomore Marissa Woodcome (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford) added 11 assists.

Senior Taylor Horton (Lakeridge/Lake Oswego, Ore.) and sophomore Stephanie Lavallato (Hunterdon Central/Flemington, N.J.) notched 21 and 13 digs, respectively, in the first match of the day.

In the day's second match, the Bombers swept Johnson & Wales, 3-0. The first frame opened with a 3-0 Ithaca start. The Wildcats knotted the game on several occasions, but a 6-2 streak helped the Bombers to a 25-19 first-set victory.

Set two kicked-off with a kill by Thoene on behalf of a Folk assist and the Bombers never looked back. Keeping a consistent lead throughout, Ithaca closed out the stint on a 6-1 streak to reach a 25-18 final.

A 5-1 run helped Ithaca to a 16-5 advantage which improved to a 21-9 cushion, but the victory did not come without a fight. Johnson & Wales brought the third set to 23-20 before Ithaca won two consecutive points to secure a .500 record on the season.

Thoene led the Bombers with 12 kills on 23 attempts for a .435 hitting percentage aided by Folk's 29 assists. Horton and Woodcome led all defensive efforts with 18 and 10 digs, respectively.

Thoene tallied a commanding seven blocks (four solo, three assists) amidst the match to lead the Bombers.

Ithaca is next slated to travel to Geneseo on Tuesday, Sept. 21 for a 7 p.m. match.