Score: Ithaca College 3 – Elmira College 0 [25-12, 25-12, 25-23]
Records: Ithaca (11-3, 1-0 E8), Elmira (2-2, 0-1 E8)
Location: Ben Light Gymnasium – Ithaca, N.Y.
 
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- It was a tough night for the Elmira College women's volleyball team, as the Soaring Eagles dropped their Empire 8 Conference opener to Ithaca College in straight sets [25-12, 25-12, 25-23].
 
Ithaca controlled the first two sets of tonight's match with relative ease, winning both frames by identical 25-12 scores. However, the third set was tightly contested and nearly won by the Soaring Eagles.
                                            
The majority of the third set was close, as both teams trading point after point until the Bombers pulled away late with a 5-0 run, one that gave the Ithaca women a sizeable advantage, 21-16. However, Elmira rallied to win six of the next eight points to cut the Ithaca lead to 23-22.
 
During the Elmira run, Ithaca committed a handful errors, three attacking and one service error. McKenzie Slaven '20 produced EC's lone kill during that stretch, while Kelsey Ray '17 served up one ace and Alicia Day '17 made one solo block.
 
Trailing by one point, Elmira needed to win at least one point on its serve to stay alive in the match. However, the Bombers would side-out on two Elmira serves in the final three points to clinch the set, 25-23, and the match, 3-0.
 
Elmira Individual Leaders
Attack Percentage: Alicia Day (.429)
Kills: Natalie Schieder (8)
Assists: Taylor Kaznowski (16)
Aces: Rachel Katzenberger & Kelsey Ray (1)
Digs: Natalie Schieder (8)
Blocks: three players tied (2)
 
Inside the Box Score

• Ithaca hit .291 for the match on a 41k-16e-86att stat line.
• Elmira hit -.014 on a 17k-18e-72att stat line.
• Ithaca produced 41 kills compared to Elmira's 17.
• Elmira assisted on all 17 of its kills, while Ithaca produced 38 helpers.
• IC served up eight aces, while EC had two.
• The Bombers led in digs, 35-25.
• Blocks were also in favor of Ithaca, 6-4.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira dropped to 0-1 in E8 matches.
• EC produced 4.0 blocks, which tied the team's season high.
• Eight different players recorded digs for Elmira.

 
Up Next
Elmira will look to bounce back this weekend, as the Soaring Eagles welcome St. John Fisher College and Utica College to Speidel Gymnasium for a pair of conference matches. Play begins on Saturday, September 24th, with an 11:00 a.m. showdown with the Cardinals and concludes with a 4:00 p.m. bout with the Pioneers.