ATLANTA, Ga. – The No. 12 Ithaca College volleyball team saw its 18-match win streak come to an end Friday night on the first day of the Emory Invitational, falling 3-1 to host and No. 15-ranked Emory University. The Bombers now sit at 22-4 on the season, with three of those losses coming against nationally ranked opponents.
 
Naomi Clauhs led Ithaca with a match-high 24 kills, while Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu added 16. Setter Wesley Slavin tallied 37 assists, and Ellie Benedict anchored the defense with 24 digs. Emory was paced by Eliane Silberman and Kaya Monrose, who recorded 16 kills apiece, while Olivia Rabinowitz dished out 46 assists.
 
Ithaca jumped out to an early lead in the opening set, with Clauhs recording the first kill and an Emory attack error making it 2-0. The Eagles responded with three straight points to take their first lead, and the set remained tight throughout. Errors plagued Ithaca early, accounting for six of Emory's first 16 points.
 
With the score tied at 16, Ithaca briefly regained momentum, taking a 20-19 lead after an Emory timeout. However, the Eagles closed strong, winning six of the final eight points behind two Monrose kills to take the set 25-23.
 
Emory carried its momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 5-0 lead before Ithaca answered. A 7-1 run sparked by a Slavin kill and service ace flipped the script, giving the Bombers a 13-12 advantage. Ithaca extended the lead to 19-15 and never looked back, closing out the set 25-20 with kills from Clauhs and Gonzalez-Abreu.
 
The third set was a back-and-forth battle early, but Ithaca surged ahead 12-7 after a 6-1 run fueled by Brianna Owen's serving. Emory responded with a 4-0 run and eventually clawed back to within striking distance. Leading 22-19, Ithaca appeared poised to take the set, but Monrose took over for Emory, recording five kills during a decisive 6-0 run to steal the set 25-22.
 
Facing elimination, Ithaca opened the fourth set strong, scoring four of the first six points. Emory quickly regained control, using kills from Leneia Niko and Maggie Regan to build a 9-5 lead. The Eagles maintained their advantage throughout, pulling away late for a 25-18 win. Silberman delivered five kills in the set, including the match-clincher.
 
Ithaca will look to bounce back tomorrow with two matches against Randolph-Macon and (RV) Washington and Lee at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.