SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The No. 17 nationally ranked Ithaca College volleyball team capped off a weekend sweep with a straight-set victory over Union College on Saturday, defeating the homestanding Garnet Chargers by scores of 25-16, 25-17, and 25-18. The Bombers have now won 10 straight matches and stand at 14-3 overall and 5-0 in Liberty League play.
 
Ithaca came out strong in the opening set, jumping to a 5-2 lead behind a powerful kill through the middle from Addison Leadbetter. The advantage quickly grew to 10-3 thanks to kills from Wesley Slavin and Naomi Clauhs, along with a service ace from Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu that forced a Union timeout. Brianna Owen and Ella Graper joined the offensive surge with successful swings that extended Ithaca's lead to 15-6. Union responded with a brief run to close the gap to 20-14, but the Bombers sealed the set with a Slavin dump, another Clauhs kill, a Union attacking error, and a service ace from Karina Garcia.
 
Union struck first in the second set with a kill from Maddie McCarron, but Ithaca responded by winning eight of the next 11 points to take an 8-4 lead. Clauhs and Leadbetter each delivered kills, both assisted by Slavin. The Garnet Chargers kept it close at 12-9, but Ithaca found another gear offensively. A Wesley Slavin dump, a service ace from Ellie Benedict, and a kill by Gonzalez-Abreu pushed the Bombers ahead 17-10, prompting another Union timeout. Out of the break, IC reached 20 points with back-to-back scores from Gonzalez-Abreu and eventually closed out the set with another kill from the outside hitter.
 
Despite falling behind 3-0 in the third set, the Bombers quickly regrouped and took a 6-4 lead following a Brianna Owen service ace and a Union attacking error. The set remained tight as the teams traded points, and after three-straight from the Garnet Chargers, the score was knotted at 12-12. Ithaca then responded with a 7-2 run, highlighted by two successful swings from Leadbetter and another kill from Gonzalez-Abreu, making it 19-14 and forcing a Union timeout. Union scored two in a row, including a service ace from Madisen Bailey, but Leadbetter halted the momentum with her fifth kill of the match. Ithaca closed out the set and the match with a kill from Clauhs—her team-leading 11th of the day—followed by a Union attacking error. Both Ella Graper and Brianna Owen were strong at the net all afternoon long with five and four blocks apiece.
 
Next up, the Bombers return to non-conference action on Friday, October 17 when they will take on both Stevens and Cortland in Cortland, N.Y. at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively.