Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

UTICA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College volleyball team (13-12, 4-3 Empire 8) rolled to a pair of Empire 8 victories Sunday to earn the three seed in the Empire 8 Championship Tournament to be hosted at top-seeded Elmira on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3-4. Ithaca will play second-seeded Stevens in the semifinals and Elmira will play fourth-seeded Nazareth.

The Bombers blanked host Utica (7-19, 1-5 Empire 8), 3-0 (25-14, 25-12, 25-13), before defeating Nazareth (17-13, 4-3 Empire 8), 3-2 (27-29, 25-13, 13-25, 25-21, 15-11). The Empire 8 Crossover concluded regular-season conference action.

Against the Pioneers, freshman Christine Flannery posted 10 kills to lead the Bombers, while senior Marissa Weil added nine on a match-best 20 sets from freshman Carly Garone. Flannery and freshman Emily Kovach each recorded career-best service numbers with six and five aces, respectively. Weil dug out 13 times and freshman Dylan Gawinski Stern 10. 

The Bombers powered to a 25-14 first-set victory and never looked back. They posted a 12-4 gap before the Pioneers cut within five, 12-7, but Ithaca went on a 7-1 streak to lead 19-8 en route to the first-set win. The Bombers improved on a slight 7-5 edge with a 16-4 run for a 23-9 lead before taking the second game, 25-12. They continued to dominate in the third with a 10-3 opening stint. The Blue & Gold went on to secure an 18-5 lead before taking the match in three with a 25-13 decision.

Against the Golden Flyers, Weil recorded a career-best 27 kills and Flannery added 10. Garone set for 38 assists. Duryea, junior Syline Kim and Garone each served up four aces.

Defensively, Duryea dug out 15 times, Garone 13 and Gawinski Stern 12. Kim had a trio of blocks.

The first set went to extra points with the Golden Flyers coming out on top, 29-27. Ithaca had their chances holding set-point on four occasions, but Nazareth secured three consecutive to win the first.

Ithaca ran away with the second, 25-13. After four ties, Ithaca snapped a 9-9 deadlock with a 15-2 run before winning 25-13.

Nazareth mirrored Ithaca's second-set performance with a 25-13 victory in the third. They opened with a 7-2 streak and Ithaca answered to pull within 15-10. The Golden Flyers scored 10 of the final 13 points to take a 2-1 series lead.

Ithaca knotted action, 2-2, with a 25-21 fourth-set win. With a slight 11-10 edge, Ithaca put together a 10-3 run. The Bombers went on to take the set, 25-21 forcing a fifth.

The final frame was tied at 2 and 4 before Ithaca took a 6-4 lead. Ithaca did not surrender the lead from there on out. Ithaca went up 9-5 and managed to pull away from a one-point match, 12-11, with three consecutive to seal the win.

The Bombers will wrap up regular-season action on Saturday, Oct. 27 at Fredonia. Ithaca plays the host Blue Devils at 11 a.m. and Hiram at 1 p.m.