Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College volleyball team (6-9, 1-1 Empire 8) dropped a five-set decision to Houghton before outlasting Hartwick, 3-1, in Empire 8 play Saturday. The Bombers suffered a 3-2 (25-20, 21-25, 13-25, 25-13, 15-9) setback to the Highlanders (9-2) before defeating the host Hawks (3-13, 1-2 Empire 8), 3-1 (26-28, 25-19, 25-21, 25-21), at Lambros Arena.

The matches were delayed due to a power outage in Oneonta that affected the entire Hartwick campus, forcing the early matches to be finished at Oneonta Middle and High Schools. Ithaca's 12:30 and 3 p.m. matches were delayed to 3 and 5:30 p.m. when power was restored on campus.

Houghton posted the first-set win before Ithaca edged the Highlanders in the second to knot the series. Ithaca dominated the next frame, but Houghton mirrored Ithaca's third-game performance in the fourth to force Ithaca to its first five-setter of the season. The Highlanders put up a 15-9 fight in the final frame to earn the win.

Freshman Grace Chang recorded 12 kills, while junior Abbie Hutchinson and rookie Shaelynn Schmidt added double-digit kills with 10 each. Hutchinson, who had a match-best three aces, tallied a career-high and hit .391 for the match, having made just one error. Freshman Molly Brown set for a season-best 36 assists.

Defensively, five Bombers had 10 or more digs. Sophomore Dylan Gawinski Stern and Chang dug out 19 times each. Freshman Breanne Tuohy had a season-high five block assists and Schmidt posted four.

Though the Bombers took a 7-4 lead in the first, Houghton answered to tie up action at 11. The teams battled to 20-20, a deadlock that Houghton snapped with five consecutive for the win. Ithaca opened the next with a 12-5 run. The Highlanders crept within three late, 23-20, but Ithaca went on to put away two of the next three. Ithaca maintained its composure powering to a 25-13 third-set victory. The Highlanders surged to take the fourth in similar fashion, controlling play and forcing a fifth. Ithaca had a 3-1 edge that Houghton rewrote for an 8-4 lead en route to the six-point win, 15-9.

The Hawks needed an extra-point effort to win the first set of the later game, 28-26, but Ithaca answered to take the match in four.

Chang hit .255 with 15 kills to lead the Bombers against the Hawks. Bean added 12, Schmidt nine and Hutchinson eight. Brown put up 42 assists to reset her season-best performance. Chang had 17 digs, Brown 13 and Gawinski Stern 12. Tuohy led the team with four blocks.

The first frame was tied 10 times. Ithaca owned a 21-16 lead, but Hartwick answered with a 6-1 run for a 22-22 tie. The set bounced back-and-forth and ended in the Hawks' favor, 28-26. In the next game, Ithaca busted out of an 8-8 standstill to lead 20-12 and denied Hartwick a comeback, taking the second 25-19. The Bombers repeated in the third cracking an 8-8 stalemate for a 16-10 lead. They maintained their cushion for a 22-16 lead before securing a 25-21 win. The 8-8 tie theme continued in the fourth, but this time it was Hartwick that took the lead, 15-11. Ithaca outlasted the Hawks for the fourth-set win to claim its first conference win of the season.

Ithaca, who hit .255 for the match and posted 15 blocks (1 solo, 14 assists), will play its first dual match of the season Wednesday, Sept. 25 hosting Keuka.