ITHACA, NY - Not going down without a fight in the first match of the season, the Swarthmore Women's Volleyball team lost to Ithaca on Friday evening by a set score of 3-2.
 
Despite rallying back from a 2-1 set deficit, the Garnet were outdueled in the final period, falling to the Bombers 15-11 in set five. On the offensive side of the ball, juniors Jordan Perry and Kaylee Zhang led the way, tallying eleven and nine kills respectively. Defensively, Zhang and first-year Ellie Streeper held down the fort, with Zhang putting up 15 digs and Streeper 13.
 
How It Happened

• Halfway through a back and forth first set, neither side seemed to be able to pull away, with the score slightly in Swarthmore's favor at 13-10 halfway through the period. Seemingly ignited by a Zhang kill however, the Garnet went on an 8-3 run, giving Swarthmore its largest lead of the match at 21-13. Despite some offensive success from Ithaca narrowing the gap to 23-16, the lead proved insurmountable as the Garnet claimed the first set 25-17.
• Unable to keep up the momentum from their first set win however, Swarthmore would go on to lose the next two sets. Set two proved another back and forth affair early on, before a late Ithaca rally pushed the contest out of reach and gave the Bombers a 25-18 win, tying the match at one set a piece. In set three, Ithaca took the lead on the third point and never relinquished it, taking the set by a score of 25-10 and giving the Bombers a 2-1 set lead.
• Refusing to go out easily though, Swarthmore pulled the match back in set number four. Despite Ithaca taking an early 5-0 lead, the Garnet roared to life, claiming the next seven points and taking a 7-5 lead, their first since going up 3-2 in set number two. Swarthmore would go on to get the best of Ithaca in the pivotal fourth set, resoundingly claiming the period 25-19.
• In set number five, Ithaca took an early lead and never looked back, closing out the set and the match with a score of 15-11.

 
Garnet Leaders

• Kills: Perry (11), Zhang (9), Razdan (8)
• Assists: Pena (23)
• Aces: Streeper (3), Zhang (2)
• Blocks: Montgomery (3 - Two solo, One Assisted), Razdan (3 - 1 Solo, 2 Assisted)
• Digs: Zhang (15), Streeper (13), Perry (9)

 
Up Next
Staying up in Ithaca to close out the Bomber Invitational, the Garnet will take on both Suny Geneseo and Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday, Sept. 3rd.