Rochester, N.Y. – The Ithaca volleyball team (17-12, 2-3 Empire 8) dropped a four-set match to host St. John Fisher (16-9, 3-2 Empire 8), 3-1 (24-26, 25-20, 19-25, 18-25), on day one of the Empire 8 Crossover.

The Cardinals, who blanked Ithaca 3-0 in September, took the first frame in extra points, 26-24, before the Bombers responded with a 25-20 second set to knot the series at 1-1. St. John Fisher polished off the match with a 25-19 third-set victory and a 25-18 final game decision.

Despite a solid 11-2 deficit in the first, the Cardinals found a way to win. Ithaca went on to take a 16-7 lead, but a 14-5 St. John Fisher streak deadlocked the set at 21-21. The Bombers held a 23-21 advantage, but the host squad put away five of the final six points to take the first, 26-24.

St. John Fisher took a 10-7 lead in the second, but Ithaca answered with a 7-0 run to take the lead indefinitely. The Cardinals brought the match within three on several occasions, but the Bombers maintained the lead for a 25-20, second-set win.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the third, but Ithaca responded to creep within one, 10-9. The Cardinals held Ithaca to just two points over the next 10 plays as St. John Fisher ran away with the game to take the third, 25-19.

The fourth was back-and-forth, tied on eight occasions, until the Cardinals snapped an 11-11 stalemate with three straight. The Bombers had the set within one, 19-18, but St. John Fisher rattled off six consecutive to win the set, 25-18, and claim the match.

Senior Jessica Hoeffner (Hauppauge/Hauppauge) led the Bombers' with a double-double of 20 kills and 12 digs, while classmate Karin Edsall (Cornwall Central/Cornwall) added another Bomber double-double setting for 45 assists and a team-high 15 digs. Senior Chelsea Hayes (Northern Valley Regional/Haworth, N.J.) added 14 kills for Ithaca.

The Bombers will face Hartwick at 10 a.m. and Stevens at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22.

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