CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Ithaca College volleyball team reeled off its fourth consecutive win on Tuesday evening, once again doing it via a sweep as this time the Bombers bested Cortland by scores of 25-19, 26-24 and 25-22. With their latest victory the Bombers improve to 5-2 overall as they're slated to play its first home matches of the season in the upcoming Bomber Invitational later this week.
VS. SUNY CORTLAND (25-19, 26-24, 25-22)
It was a big scoring night for both
Faith Sabatier and
Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu as each finished with double digit kill totals at 12 and 11 each, respectively. Gonzalez-Abreu especially got off to a hot start connecting on eight within the opening set. After Cortland came back to tie it at seven points apiece, the Red Dragons took the lead at 9-8 but Ithaca went on a 9-4 run capped off by a Gonzalez-Abreu kill to go up 18-12. The Bombers pushed the lead to 23-17 after a successful
Faith Sabatier swing and capped off the set with a
Jamie Koopman effort at the net.
The second set proved to be the most competitive as the teams continued to go back and forth all the way to a deadlock at 21 points apiece. Ithaca finally was able to find and edge with
Faith Sabatier once again connecting at the net followed by a Red Dragon attacking error that made it 23-22. The set tied again at 24-24, but Ithaca earned the 2-0 advantage with a service error and then an ace from
Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu.
Ithaca jumped out to a 9-3 lead when
Alexandra Montgomery converted on a kill that was assisted by
Peyton Miller. The Red Dragons would roar back and force an IC timeout going on a run that ended up tying the set at 18 points apiece. Ithaca forced the home team into a timeout with three-straight, which started with an
Ella Graper kill,
Wesley Slavin service ace and capped off with a Sabatier kill. The junior outside hitter from The Woodlands, Texas converted with two more successful swings to end the match, winning the set 25-22.
REACTION FROM HEAD COACH JOHAN DULFER
"Beating a very good opponent on their home floor is a very satisfying feeling, Dulfer said." "Perhaps even more satisfying is the realization that tonight taught us multiple lessons on what we can and must improve on going forward."
We can't wait to play in our own gym this weekend, Dulfer added."
Ithaca College will host six matches this weekend as part of the annual Bomber Invitational. They will have their first match on Friday, September 15 when they host No. 7 Johns Hopkins University. IC will then take on both SUNY Geneseo (1 p.m.) and then Susquehanna University at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
