Oneonta, N.Y. – The Ithaca volleyball team (17-11) rallied in a come-from-behind situation to defeat host Oneonta (13-17), 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-18, 15-8), on Tuesday evening. Senior Jessica Hoeffner (Hauppauge/Hauppauge) tallied a career- and match-high 27 kills.

The Bombers, who have won 28 of their last 29 matches against the Red Dragons, tallied their eighth consecutive victory and second straight five-setter.

Ithaca battled from behind during the back-and-forth match as the Bombers claimed the second and fourth sets to force the fifth. Ithaca took a commanding 8-1 lead in the final frame which they carried out for a 15-8 win.

The first set was knotted early before a 7-2 Oneonta run helped the Red Dragons to a 25-18 victory.

The Bombers responded with a 5-1 stretch to start the second, but Oneonta went ahead outscoring the Ithaca, 7-2. The Bombers went on to take a 20-18 advantage and outscored the hosts 5-1 to tie the series, 1-1, with a 25-19 victory.

The Red Dragons took the third in the same fashion, 25-19, on their senior night. Seven stalemates brought the third to a 9-9 tie before Oneonta rode a 9-2 run to claim the third.

The Bombers snapped a 5-5 tie scoring seven of the next eight points in the fourth to lead, 12-6. However, the Red Dragons went ahead 16-15 on a scoring streak of their own. Ithaca held Oneonta to two points as the Bombers put away 10 to take the fourth, 25-18.

Ithaca's imposing 8-1 run to open the fifth led it to victory. It took an eight-point, 10-2 lead, and cruised to victory, 15-8.

In addition to Hoeffner's 27 kills, seniors Chelsea Hayes (Northern Valley Regional/Haworth, N.J.) and Kate Thoene (Voorhees/High Bridge, N.J.) posted 15 and 10, respectively, on classmate Karin Edsall's (Cornwall Central/Cornwall) 51 assists.

Junior Marissa Woodcome (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford) had 18 digs, while Hayes added 15 and Hoeffner 10.

Ithaca will next travel to St. John Fisher on Friday, Oct. 21 for the season's second Empire 8 Crossover.

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