Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Ithaca opened the 2017 campaign on Friday afternoon when it took on a pair of competitive matches in the first-day of the Colorado College Invitational. IC won the opening contest of the day against Augustana by a 3-0 final (28-26, 25-21, 25-20), while the Bombers suffered their first defeat in a four-setter against ninth-ranked Colorado College (19-25, 26-24, 15-25, 14-25). Ithaca takes a 1-1 record into the final day of action in the second day of the invite.

"We are so grateful to get to start our season against top level competition here in Colorado," head coach Johan Dulfer said. "On the first day of our season we learned to never give up and that we can finish out close sets.  We also learned that we can't afford to become predictable and we have to keep playing our own unique style to keep our opponents guessing. Lastly, we learned how lucky we are that we have such a deep roster. I love how anyone can be trusted to come in and help their teammates. We can't wait to keep improving tomorrow."
 
Ithaca's first match of the afternoon pitted the Bombers against a scrappy Augustana side that won 25 matches a season ago. Despite locking in the three-set sweep, IC certainly was tested by the talented side out of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Ithaca was taken to the wire in each of the three frames, but was able to rise in the key moments to ensure an opening match victory.
 
The turning point came early in the match, as an early four-point advantage for IC turned into an even match midway through the opening set. With IC holding a slim 18-17 lead, Augustana strung together a 7-2 scoring run, boosted by four Viking kills to put Ithaca on the brink of dropping the opening set 24-20. In an early test of the team's resolve, the Bombers passed with flying colors. Juniors Amanda Cerruti and Katie Evans combined on three successive blocks to pull Ithaca level and force extra points. Ithaca went on to take the set 28-26, capitalizing on a kill from Cerruti and a combo block from freshmen Sarah Jennison and Reagan Stone.
 
The second and third sets followed similar blueprints with Ithaca slowing pulling away during the middle portions of each set. The Bombers saw out comfortable frames to win the middle set 25-21 and the decisive third set 25-20.
 
Evans paced a well-balanced attack for Ithaca in the opener, notching 10 kills on 27 attacks for a .259 hitting percentage. Senior pin-hitter Caroline Gerulskis had a solid effort with nine kills on 26 attacks, while Cerruti and Jennison finished with eight kills apiece.
 
Freshman Reagan Stone added six kills, while senior outside hitter Joelle Goldstein finished with five kills.
 
Cerruti had a big defensive effort as well finishing with two solo blocks and three block assists. Gerulskis and Stone each finished with three block assists, while Evans marked a pair of blocks. Junior Tara Stilwell led the team with a 19-dig effort, while Goldstein had a strong passing day with 11 digs.
 
Sophomore setter Caitlyn Floyd marked 21 assists in the season opener, while freshman Delaney Runyon registered 19 assists in her collegiate debut.
 
After a four-hour layover, Ithaca hit the court for the final match of the day when they took on the nationally-ranked tournament hosts in the nightcap of the first day. The Bombers battled the Tigers to a stalemate through the first two sets, but unfortunately home court was eventually protected, as Colorado College pulled away for comfortable wins in the third and fourth sets to secure the victory.
 
Facing a nationally-ranked squad in an extremely tough home-court environment can be a nerve-wracking experience. The youthful Bombers opened the first set a bit shell-shocked, as the hosts pulled out to an early 10-2 advantage in the opening frame. Although a pair of 4-0 scoring runs closed the gap to within five points twice during the remainder of the frame, IC came up short in a 25-19 score.
 
The Bombers responded with their best set of the fledgling season to even the match at one-all in the second stanza. Avoiding the early deficit that hampered the squad in the first set, IC remained within striking distance throughout the second. Ithaca looked to be staring a big two-sets-to-none hole, trailing 23-19 after a 4-0 scoring run by the hosts.
 
IC again showed its mettle to pull back to even terms. The visitors pocketed seven of the next eight rallies to score the 26-24 set win. Joelle Goldstein put the team on her back during the stretch, scoring two kills and two block assists during the streak. Freshmen Reagan Stone and Sarah Jennison each picked a kill during the scoring streak, while Ithaca sealed the set with Stone on serve.
 
Unfortunately, the valiant comeback only stemmed the tide momentarily. Colorado College strung together lengthy scoring runs during the middle portion of both the third and fourth sets to pull away and take the match.
 
Goldstein paced the Bombers in the second match, finishing with a match-best 14 kills. She filled out her stat line expertly, adding three service aces, two block assists, and five digs. At the opposite pin, Caroline Gerulskis posted nine kills and four digs.
 
In the middle, Katie Evans posted Ithaca's best hitting line. She produced seven kills and a .263 hitting percentage. Stone added six kills and two block assists.
 
Freshman Delaney Runyon continued to impress in the setting position, hitting the 20-mark for the first time in her young career and finishing with exactly 20 helpers in the match. Sophomore Caitlyn Floyd registered 13 assists and seven digs.
 
Behind the block, Tara Stilwell topped the 20-dig mark for the first time this season, registering 21 in an excellent effort by the junior libero. Senior Kayla Gromen also worked excellently passing in Ithaca's new rotation. She finished with a career-best 18 digs.
 
Ithaca returns to action tomorrow morning with a 10:00 a.m. MT (noon EST) matchup against Whittier College. IC wraps up the opening weekend with a 4:00 p.m. MT (6:00 p.m. EST) against Berry College.