ITHACA, N.Y. - In true Ithaca fashion, the No. 18 ranked Ithaca volleyball team wrapped up a dominant weekend by sweeping the Bomber Invitational, finishing 3–0 over two days of competitive play. They capped off Saturday with a commanding straight-set victory over the University of Rochester Yellowjackets, showcasing depth and balance across the lineup.
NO. 18 ITHACA 3, UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER 0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-22)
Rochester opened the match with two quick points off a Bombers attacking error and a service ace from Iliana Balaskas. Ithaca responded immediately with a block by
Brianna Owen and a kill from
Ella Graper. The Yellowjackets held a slim 4–2 lead early, but sophomore
Zoe Strachan tied the set at 7–7 with back-to-back kills.
Wesley Slavin gave Ithaca its first lead with an ace at 9–8, followed by another ace from
Addison Leadbetter and a kill from Strachan, assisted by
Amaya Parnell. An ace from Gonzalez-Abreu extended the Bombers' lead to nine. Despite a late push from Rochester, including an ace by Katie Westerheim, Ithaca held firm to take the opening set, 25–20.
The Bombers struck first in the second set with a kill from Gonzalez-Abreu, but Rochester answered with two aces and a kill to jump ahead 5–1. Ithaca rallied with kills from
Naomi Clauhs and another ace from Gonzalez-Abreu to take an 8–6 lead. A series of attacking errors from the Yellowjackets allowed the Bombers to stretch the margin to 13–8. The set remained tight, but Ithaca maintained a slight edge. An ace from
Ellie Benedict and kills from Graper and Strachan pushed the Bombers ahead 21–18. Rochester fought back late, narrowing the gap with another Westerheim ace and several kills, but
Karina Garcia sealed the set with two clutch aces, giving Ithaca a 25–23 win and a 2–0 lead.
Rochester opened the third set with a kill from Myla Nover-Estes, but the Bombers quickly regained momentum through Yellowjacket errors and a kill from Graper to take a 9–7 lead. Slavin, Claus, Strachan, and Leadbetter helped extend the lead to 12–7, prompting a Rochester timeout. The Yellowjackets responded well, flipping the score to a 16–13 advantage midway through the set. Ithaca clawed back to tie it at 17–17 with strong kills from Leadbetter and
Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu, both assisted by Slavin. A brief run of attacking errors put the Bombers behind 21–17, forcing a timeout.
Out of the break, Ithaca surged with four straight points on Gonzalez-Abreu's serve. With the score tied late, Benedict delivered a clutch ace to close out the third set, 25–23 and complete the sweep.
With the win, the Bombers finished the Bomber Invitational undefeated at 3–0, setting a strong tone for the season ahead. Next up, No. 18 Ithaca will square off against its first nationally ranked opponent in six days when they first take on No. 16 Marietta College at 5 p.m. and No. 1 Juniata as part of the Asics Invitational in Huntingdon, Pa.
