Elmira, N.Y. -- The Ithaca volleyball team (7-7, 1-1 Empire 8) suffered a 3-2 (21-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-16, 15-9) loss to Nazareth (8-6, 1-0 Empire 8) before bouncing back with a 3-0 sweep of Alfred (3-6, 0-2 Empire 8) on day one of the Empire 8 Crossover at Elmira. Senior Kate Thoene (Voorhees/High Bridge, N.J.) posted a career-high tying 19 kills against the Golden Flyers before hitting .750 in match two with 12 kills against Alfred.

Ithaca claimed the first and third sets before the Golden Flyers won the fourth to force the match to five. Nazareth dominated the final frame, allowing Ithaca the lead just once, to hand the Bombers an Empire 8 opening loss.

Nazareth opened on a 4-0 streak but Ithaca outscored the Golden Flyers, 8-2, for an 8-6 advantage. Though the game was tied on multiple occasions, Ithaca remained a step ahead. Thoene and senior Jessica Hoeffner (Hauppauge/Hauppauge) posted back-to-back block assists for an 18-15 advantage that the Bombers improved upon to take the first, 25-21.

Following an 11-11 deadlock in the second, Nazareth recorded six unanswered. Ithaca twice pulled back within two, but the Golden Flyers outlasted Ithaca, 25-19, to knot the series at 1-1.

Opening on a 4-1 run, the Bombers claimed the third stanza, 25-19. Nazareth battled for the lead, holding it on four occasions, before Ithaca snapped a 16-16 tie and took the lead indefinitely outscoring Nazareth 9-3 over the final 12 points.

Nazareth capitalized on a slight, 8-7, edge in the fourth with six unanswered. Ithaca was not able to cut the deficit to more than six points as the Golden Flyers took the fourth 25-16. They maintained their dominance in the fifth set.  Knotted at 5-5, Nazareth outscored the Bombers 6-1 on its way to a 15-9 victory.

In addition to Thoene's 19 kills, junior Marissa Weil (Corning West/Corning) tallied nine and Hoeffner eight. Junior Marissa Woodcome (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford) dished out 39 assists, while sophomore Nicki Readie (Pascack Hills/Montvale, N.J.) recorded 21 digs on defense with Hoeffner adding 12.

In match two, Ithaca earned its first Empire 8 victory of the 2011 campaign.

Though the Bombers not once trailed in the first set, the Saxons made a game of it. Ithaca jumped out to a 13-5 lead before Alfred broke back and brought the first frame within a point at 20-19 on four unanswered points. The Bombers put away five of the final seven points to take the first, 25-21.

Ithaca secured early 10-2 cushion highlighted by a trio of Elizabeth Previte (Hunterdon Central /Flemington, N.J.) aces. The Bombers improved on the gap for a 17-6, double-digit advantage before claiming the second, 25-15.

The third stint opened in Alfred's favor, 3-0, but Ithaca came alive to take a 4-3 lead. The Bombers maintained their composure throughout the remainder of the set. Ithaca improved on a 15-7 gap to take the match in three with a 25-12 third-set tally.

Thoene's 12 kills led the match, while Weil added 10 for the Bombers. Woodcome set for 35 assists and Previte served up four aces against the Saxons.

The Bombers will match-up against Utica at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25 before facing host Elmira in an 11:30 a.m. match.

Nazareth Box Score | Alfred Box Score