New York, N.Y. – The Ithaca volleyball team (21-15) surrendered a five-set match to Elmira (23-7), 3-2 (24-26, 25-14, 16-25, 25-13, 15-7), before taking host Hunter (19-9) in five, 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-9), on day two of the Hunter Invitational.

Ithaca claimed the first and third sets from the Soaring Eagles, but Elmira fought and won in come-from-behind fashion taking the second, fourth and fifth frames. In the day's second match, the Bombers took the first and fourth games to force five and earn the victory.

Trailing 10-6 in the first, Ithaca battled to go ahead 11-10 with five unanswered. The Bombers went on to take a 24-22 edge, but Elmira broke back with two straight to tie it up. Ithaca rose to the occasion and put away back-to-back points to claim the first, 26-24.

Elmira answered with a dominant 25-14 second-set victory to bring the series to 1-1, but Ithaca did just the same in the third claiming a 25-16 game. The Bombers went ahead early in the third never allowing the Soaring Eagles to pull back within striking distance. Ithaca used six straight for a 22-12, double-digit advantage, and held strong for the 2-1 series lead.

The Soaring Eagles returned to power in the fourth with a 25-13 victory and carried their momentum into the fifth for the 15-7 deciding-set win.

Senior Jessica Hoeffner (Hauppauge/Hauppauge) led the Bombers with 19 kills, while classmates Chelsea Hayes (Northern Valley Regional/Haworth, N.J.) and Kate Thoene (Voorhees/High Bridge, N.J.) added double figures with 12 and 10, respectively. Hayes joined Thoene on the 1,000-career kills list early in the match.

Five Bombers recorded double-digit digs with Hayes notching a team-best 19. Senior Karin Edsall (Cornwall Central/Cornwall) put up 41 assists and a match-high three aces.

The Bombers jumped out to an 11-7 edge against the Hawks in the first set of the second match and went on to take a 17-13 lead before securing the game, 25-22.

Hunter took the second and third 25-21 and 25-22, respectively, before Ithaca brought the series to 2-2 in the fourth. The Hawks took a 10-5 lead before Ithaca brought the action within three, 16-13. The Bombers knotted play at 20, 21 and 23 before Hayes earned a kill and a Hawk attack error sealed the set for Ithaca.

The Bombers used the momentum to take a 9-3 lead in the final frame which they improved upon for a 15-9 fifth-set victory.

Hayes put down 20 kills to lead the Bombers, while Thoene added 17 andf Hoeffner 13. Edsall posted 54 assists, while sophomore Syline Kim (Beverly Hills/Fullerton, Calif.) dug out 11 times and classmate Nicki Readie (Pascack Hills/Montvale, N.J.) 10. Thoene tallied five blocks (two solo, three assists).

Elmira Box Score | Hunter Box Score