Post-Match Press Conference | NCAA Regional Portal
 
ITHACA, N.Y. – For the first time in 14 years NCAA Tournament Women's Volleyball returned to South Hill when Opening Round action of the Ithaca, N.Y., Region tipped off inside Ben Light Gymnasium. The Bombers had a long wait to make their 2018 NCAA Tournament debut, as the home side had to wait for the final match of the evening to get on their home court. Once play got underway, Ithaca posted an emphatic statement, racing past Southern Vermont College in three sets (25-10, 25-12, 25-6). The victory punches the Bombers' ticket to tomorrow's Regional Semifinal and a match-up against Stevenson University.
 
"Tonight was a good night for our program to be able to bring NCAA Tournament volleyball to our home gym," head coach Johan Dulfer said following the match. "I'm really happy with how our team performed against a proud program in Southern Vermont. All the credit to them on an amazing season, going 21-7 and running through their conference tournament as a three-seed to earn their place to this regional. Their head coach, Pat [Robidoux], has done an amazing job with that program and you can tell the players have really bought in to his guidance and the energy that he brings. At the end of the day, I am happy that we were able to get the victory over a proud opponent that has been on a roll like they were coming into today."
 
IC turned in a classically strong effort on the night, snapping the two-match skid entering the tonight with a relentless volley of impressive swings. Things became clear in the early going that the Bombers possessed a significant advantage at the pins and the middles and pushed forward aggressively. IC out-paced the Mountaineers 44-to-9 in kills, finishing with a season-high .514 team hitting percentage on 70 total swings in the match.
 
"It was really encouraging to see that we earned the majority of our points on the night," Dulfer continued. "Quite honestly, our past five practices coming into the night have been some of the best of the year. We wanted tonight to be about us, about our attacking, and it's gratifying to see us carry those things we worked on in practice into tonight's match."
 
The Bombers took control early on the night racing out to a 15-3 lead before the visitors were able to string multiple points together. Sophomore outside hitter Reagan Stone, senior middle Katie Evans and first-year pin-hitter Jaelyn Hershberger each tallied multiple kills during the hot start, while Stone led the way with four kills and two service aces in the early going.
 
The Bombers clinched things down the stretch with two kills each from Stone and senior middle hitter Amanda Cerruti, who looked much closer to her typical self in her second match back from her long injury absence. Hershberger capped the first set with a cross-court kill to give IC the early leg-up. Ithaca finished with 15 kills on scathing-hot .600 hitting success in the frame.
 
"There is no better feeling than being out there with my teammates," Cerruti said. "We have battled through so much adversity as a team this season and to be able to be out there all 16 of us healthy and contributing it was just a great experience. It takes all 16 of us every night to get the win."
 
Things got a little sloppy for the Bombers during the early portion of the middle frame, as IC struggled to replicate the strong start from the opening game. The Mountaineers capitalized by keeping it close early, playing Ithaca within three points through 15 rallies. However, Ithaca began to take control with an 8-2 scoring run, which featured kills by Stone, Cerruti, Hershberger and fellow first-year Alison Lipton.
 
It was sophomore serving specialist Delaney Runyon who put the finishing touches on the second set victory down the stretch. The second-year talent confounded the visitors from the service line, rattling off four consecutive aces to seal the 25-12 win and the two-set advantage heading to the third.
 
Clearly in control, Ithaca never let the visitors have any confidence in a comeback effort in the third. Ithaca began the game on an 11-0 run with first-year Jordyn Lyn Hayashi on serve. The Bombers picked up points on nine kills and one combo block by Hershberger and senior middle Katie Evans. Hershberger picked up three kills during the stretch, while Evans added three herself to lead the Bombers to the commanding lead.
 
A subsequent 7-0 surge later in the game put things well out of reach. Cerruti and junior setter Caitlyn Floyd sparked the run with back-to-back kills. Senior libero Tara Stilwell added two aces during the stretch, while Lipton posted two kills and senior middle Ruby Dyson got in on the act with a kill as well. Ithaca finished with a match-best 18 kills in the third game, hitting at another scintillating .556 clip.
 
"Getting to play on our home court is exciting for us," Stilwell said following the match. "It was so great being able to have a home crowd behind us and having our friends in the stands supporting us tonight. I thought that we did a great job of keeping our confidence and playing aggressively and rebounding for the next point when we did make mistakes. Playing for each other and being supportive as a team will be crucial for us moving forward."
 
Offensively, the Bombers were paced at the pins by Stone, who continued her sensational run down the stretch this season. It was her 16^th consecutive match posting double-digit kills, as the second-year finished with 13 finishes on .500 hitting. She added six digs, two service aces and one assist on the evening.
 
Chipping in consistent offense at the pins was the first-year tandem of Hershberger and Lipton. The former posted eight kills on .429 hitting, adding one dig and one block assist. Lipton notched five kills on .714 hitting success, while she added two digs defensively.
 
In the middle, Evans narrowly missed out on double-digit kills, finishing with nine on .667 hitting success. She also had a good night across from attack, finishing with three block assists. Cerruti chipped in five kills on .429 hitting.  Dyson posted her lone kill and finished with two total attacks.
 
Floyd was efficient in her distribution, finishing with 38 assists and three kills on the night. She amassed two digs and two block assists, defensively.
 
The backline was paced by Stilwell, who was the lone Bomber to reach double-digit digs. She ended the evening with a match-high 11 to go along with her two service aces. Hayashi posted six digs and one assist. Senior Hailey Adler had two digs, while Runyon ended the night with the four service aces accrued in that fantastic second-set run.
 
Ithaca will return to the court at Ben Light Gymnasium at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow evening when it faces Stevenson in the second of two NCAA Regional Semifinal Round contests. The Mustangs defeated Hunter in a thrilling five-set match during the 5:30 p.m. time slot during Friday's Opening Round.