POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's volleyball team is set to make its 20^th appearance in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, November 10, when it begins Regional Round play against Endicott College. Start time from Clarkson's Alumni Gym in Potsdam, N.Y., is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
 

Match Info
Ithaca (21-8; Liberty League Runner-Up) vs. Endicott (22-9; CCC Champion)
Date: Friday, November 10, 2017
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Location: Alumni Gym | Potsdam, N.Y. (Clarkson University)
 
Coverage
Live Stats | Video | Twitter
 
Six All-League Selections
The Liberty League released its list of All-Liberty League selections on Wednes­day morning. The Bombers topped the group of eight institutions with six total players earning recognition. Freshman outside hitter Reagan Stone and sopho­more setter Caitlyn Floyd were named to the All-Liberty League First Team. Senior outside hitter Joelle Goldstein was a All-Liberty League Second Team selection. A trio of juniors were also named All-Lib­erty League Honorable Mention in middle hitters Amanda Cerruti and Tara Stilwell, as well as libero Tara Stilwell.
 
Rookie of the Year
Freshman outside hitter Reagan Stone was the clear-cut choice as the Liber­ty League's Rookie of the Year after a monster debut season for the Bombers. Her 322 kills were tops for Ithaca, while she ranks fifth in the League for total kills and sixth in hitting-percentage with a .286 success rate entering NCAA Tournament play this weekend. Stone's numbers in Liberty League play were even stronger compared to her peers no matter the eli­gibility year. Her 3.70 kills per set average was fourth-best in the League, while her .468 hitting percentage out-paced her next closest competitor, teammate Katie Evans, by .107.
 
Regional Standout
Reagan Stone has not only amassed several Liberty League weekly honors this season, but has also had her strong play recognized by the ECAC as well. Stone was named Liberty League Rookie of the Week four times, in addition to one Liberty League Performer of the Week selection on the year. She was also a four-time ECAC Division III North Rookie of the Week honoree. She was named AVCA All-New York Region Rookie of the Year on Thursday. Read the full story: CLICK HERE.
 
Setting Prowess
Although the Bombers began the year with sophomore setter Caitlyn Floyd see­ing partial time in Ithaca's six-two rotation, IC made the switch to a five-one midway through the year. The setter posted nine 40-plus assist efforts and topped the 30-assist mark in 16 of her 29 matches thus far this season. She collected three double-doubles on the year and has already out-paced her dig total from a season ago. She enters the weekend with 942 assists, 172 digs, and 61 kills.
 
Potent Attack
Ithaca has boasted one of the most potent attacks in the region throughout the 2017 campaign. The Bombers biggest asset has been their versatility, as six different players have topped the century mark for kills. The efficiency of the offense can be partially attributed to setter Caitlyn Floyd, as IC ranks 30th in the country in assists per set at 12.18. Ithaca's 13.09 kills per set average was also the top-ranked number in the Liberty League this season, while it was 28th-best nationally.
 
Hitting .225
When the Bombers attack is on there are few teams in the country that are able to slow them down. The key number seems to be a team hitting percentage of .225. Ithaca is 15-1 in matches in which they combine to hit .225-or-better as a team, the lone loss coming against Vassar. IC has also been able to find ways to score results even when not firing on all cylinders; however, the squad has posted just a 6-7 record when hitting below .210 for a match on the year.
 
Going for Gold
Senior outside hitter Joelle Goldstein has been a force at the pins for Ithaca since she first arrived on South Hill in 2014. The Kings Park, N.Y., product has posted another fine season in her final year, ranking second on the team with 280 kills and 270 digs. Her big attacking season has pushed her into rarified air among the program's all-time leaders for career kills. Goldstein enters the weekend ranked ninth on the program's all-time list with 1,385 kills during her career.
 
1,000-1,000 Club
While Joelle Goldstein already will go down as one of the most feared hitters in program history, her defensive play cannot be under­stated. She recently became one of a handful of Ithaca players to reach the 1000-1000 club with 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. Goldstein enters the weekend with 1,056 digs for her career.
 
Third Straight NCAA Appearance
This weekend will mark the third consecutive year in which Ithaca has appeared in the NCAA Divsion III Women's Volleyball Tour­nament. Unlike the prior two seasons, the Bombers were on edge until their named popped up on the screen, as IC was looking to secure one of 22 at-large to this year's 64-team field. With the berth in place, this three-year run marks the longest consecutive stretch of making the tournament since the Bombers qualified in nine consecutive years from 1993-2001.
 
Ranked Wins
Ithaca is certainly tested coming into this weekend's NCAA Regional Rounds, as the squad has faced one of the toughest strength of schedules in all of NCAA Division III. IC has faced four teams that were currently ranked in the most recent AVCA Top-25 Poll, a group that includes No. 1 Colorado College, No. 2 Calvin College, No. 10 Carnegie Mellon, and No. 19 Juniata College. IC has also faced a pair of teams that were receiving votes in the most recent poll. Ithaca has two wins over teams that were ranked at the time of meet­ing, dispatching then-No. 22 Mary Washing­ton in straight sets and then-No. 6 Carnegie Mellon in four sets.
 
Familiar Surroundings
Ithaca is no stranger to the surroundings that will accompany them when it takes the court at Alumni Gymnasium on Friday afternoon. This will be the fourth time the Bombers have made the trip to Potsdam, N.Y., since the end of the 2015 season. For the second time in three years, IC's travel to the North Country is for NCAA Tournament matches, as Clarkson also hosted NCAA Regional Rounds in 2015. IC also played an invitational tournament joint-hosted by Clarkson during the opening weekend of the 2016 season and a road match against the Golden Knights at Alumni Gym earlier this season.
 
All-Time Series (W-L)
Ithaca has met Endicott, its NCAA Opening Round opponent, twice in its history. Here is the Bombers all-time record against potential opponents this weekend.
vs. Endicott (2-0)
vs. Stevens (4-14)
vs. Merchant Marine (Potential First Meeting)
vs. Clarkson (26-5)
vs. Morrisville State (Potential First Meeting)
vs. Babson (1-0)
vs. Vassar (7-2)
 
How They Got Here: Endicott
The Gulls are one of the strongest teams in the New England Region, posting a 22-9 record entering Friday, which includes the program's second consecutive Commonwealth Coast Conference title. Endicott knocked off Roger Williams in a five-set match last Saturday to punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament, which will be the sixth in the program's history.
 
Dynamic Duo
Endicott is led by a powerful combo in sophomore setter Zoey Gifford and junior outside hitter Emma Mancini. The duo has had a keen connection throughout the 2017 season, which has been incredibly difficult for opposing teams to contend against. Mancini has garnered nearly every honor possible after dominant season that has seen her amass 438 kills and a .267 hitting percentage entering Friday. She has earned All-CCC First Team, CCC Player of the Year, and AVCA All-New England Region First Team. Gifford has been on the setting end of this formidable connection, racking up 903 assists and posting 12 double-doubles on the year. She also was named an All-CCC First Team player, while she was an AVCA All-New England Region.
 
Other Friday Matches
Stevens (26-7) vs. Merchant Marine (17-7) – 3:00 p.m.
Babson (20-9) vs. Vassar (22-7) – 5:30 p.m.
Clarkson (21-7) vs. Morrisville State (24-6) – 8:00 p.m.