ITHACA, N.Y. – The No. 18-ranked Ithaca College volleyball team kicked off the 2025 season on Friday inside the friendly confines of Ben Light Gymnasium, hosting the annual Bomber Invitational. The Bombers were tested in both matches but showed resilience, rallying to win each in four sets after dropping the opening frame.
NO. 18 ITHACA 3, ST. JOHN FISHER 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-14, 27-25)
Ithaca came out strong in the opener, grabbing four of the first five points behind a service ace and kill from
Brianna Owen, plus two Cardinal attacking errors. The Bombers held a narrow lead for much of the set until St. John Fisher strung together three-straight points to take their first lead at 14–13.
Ithaca responded with a four-point run, capitalizing on Cardinal attack errors and another Owen kill to go up 18–15. But Fisher clawed back and edged out the set, 25–23.
The Bombers again started fast in the second set, opening with a five-point run that included a kill from Owen, two Cardinal errors, and back-to-back service aces from
Karina Garcia. After Fisher trimmed the lead to 6–5, Ithaca surged ahead with six of the next seven points, highlighted by three kills from
Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu and two from first year middle
Addison Leadbetter, making it 12–6.
Despite a late rally from Fisher that tied the set at 22–22, Ithaca closed it out with three clutch kills—two from Gonzalez-Abreu and one from Owen—to even the match with a 25–23 win.
The third set saw Ithaca take control midway through, sparked by a five-point run featuring a kill from
Naomi Clauhs, a service ace from
Ellie Benedict, and three Cardinal errors. The Bombers never looked back, cruising to a 25–14 win.
In the fourth, Fisher jumped ahead early, taking four of the first five points. Ithaca battled back with a three-point run that included kills from Gonzalez-Abreu and Leadbetter, plus a service ace from Owen. The Cardinals extended their lead to 13–9, but Ithaca responded with a steady push, eventually taking their first lead of the set at 18–17 after consecutive Fisher errors.
Clauhs then took over, delivering three kills during a four-point run that made it 22–19. Fisher rallied from a 24–20 deficit to tie the set at 24–24, but Ithaca held firm, finishing with a three-point burst to win 27–25 and secure the season-opening victory.
NO. 18 ITHACA 3, JOHN CARROLL 1 (27-29, 25-14, 25-20, 25-20)
Ithaca's first point of the match came courtesy of
Ella Graper, followed by a kill and a service ace from
Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu. The Bombers surged ahead midway through the opening set, building a 14–8 lead and forcing a John Carroll timeout. The Blue Streaks responded behind Olivia Mogyordy's second ace of the match, erasing the six-point deficit to take an 18–16 lead.
Ithaca regained momentum with two aces from setter
Wesley Slavin, and kills from
Brianna Owen and Gonzalez-Abreu—both assisted by Slavin, which tied the set late. Despite a timeout by the Bombers, John Carroll's Hailey Williams delivered a clutch ace to close out the set, 26–24.
The Bombers bounced back in the second set with Gonzalez-Abreu notching two early kills and Slavin continuing to orchestrate the offense, assisting on several plays including two kills from
Naomi Clauhs. The teams traded points early, with Jones, Sheehan, and Williams keeping it close for the Blue Streaks. Ithaca then pulled away with a four-point run fueled by two Owen kills and a service ace from
Ellie Benedict, extending the lead to 20–10. Gonzalez-Abreu added another ace before
Naomi Clauhs sealed the set with a kill assisted by Slavin, evening the match at one set apiece.
In the third, Clauhs and first year
Addison Leadbetter each recorded two early kills. John Carroll rallied to tie the set at 9–9 and briefly took the lead with a 3–0 run. Ithaca responded with a steady push, tying the set at 16–16 behind a kill from Owen.
Karina Garcia's ace gave the Bombers a 22–18 edge, and Gonzalez-Abreu closed out the set with a decisive kill to give Ithaca a 25–20 win and a 2–1 lead in the match.
The fourth set opened with a John Carroll attacking error, giving Ithaca the first point. The teams traded blows early, with service errors and kills on both sides. Benedict's ace gave Ithaca a 10–7 lead, but Mary Kate Sheehan answered with a kill to tie it at 10. Clauhs and Slavin helped the Bombers regain control with a kill and an ace, pushing the lead to 16–13 and prompting a Blue Streaks timeout. Owen added another ace to make it 23–17, and Gonzalez-Abreu delivered the final kill to seal the set 25–20 and secure Ithaca's second win of the day.
With the victory, the Bombers improved to 2–0 and will conclude the Bomber Invitational on Saturday, August 30 at 1 p.m. against Rochester. Action will begin at 11 a.m. when John Carroll takes on St. John Fisher University and will conclude at 3 p.m. with the University of Rochester squaring off against John Carroll.
