NEW YORK, N.Y. - The No. 11-ranked Ithaca College Bombers traveled to New York University on Friday to open the NYU Invitational, facing off against No. 5-ranked MIT in their first match of the tournament.
After dropping the opening set, the Bombers responded with three straight set victories to earn a 3-1 comeback win over the Engineers. MIT came out strong in the opening set, taking an early lead and eventually securing a 25-10 victory to put the Bombers behind 1-0.
Ithaca responded in the second set, battling throughout and finding its rhythm offensively. The Bombers held on late to take the set 25-22, evening the match at one set apiece.
With the momentum shifting in their favor, the Bombers continued to apply pressure in the third set. Ithaca controlled the set from the start and pulled away for a 25-16 victory, taking a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth.
The fourth set proved to be the most competitive of the match. Both teams battled point-for-point late in the set, but the Bombers remained composed when it mattered most. Ithaca ultimately closed out the match with a 26-24 fourth-set victory, completing the comeback and earning a 3-1 win over the No. 5-ranked Engineers.
Naomi Clauhs led the Bombers offensively with 16 kills, while
Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu added 11 kills. At the net,
Addison Leadbetter led the team with four blocks, while Gonzalez-Abreu contributed three.
Wesley Slavin orchestrated the Bombers' offense with 34 assists, helping Ithaca maintain its momentum throughout the final three sets.
Renee McGowan led the defensive effort with 11 digs, followed closely by Gonzalez-Abreu with 10.
Amaya Parnell provided a spark from the service line, recording a team-high two aces, while also contributing five assists.
After dropping the opening set, the Bombers responded by winning three consecutive sets against one of the nation's top-ranked teams, setting the tone for the remainder of the invitational.
Ithaca will look to carry the momentum into the second and final day of the NYU Invitational, where the Bombers are scheduled to take on WIT and NYU tomorrow afternoon.
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