| 11/4/2005 5:40:31 PM

Click here for match stats versus St. John Fisher

Click here for match stats versus Ithaca

ITHACA, NY - The RIT Women's Volleyball team (32-8, 6-1 Empire 8) fell to Ithaca College 28-30, 16-30, 24-30 in the Empire 8 Championship match on Friday night at Ithaca's Ben Light Gymnasium.  Earlier in the day, the Tigers advanced to the championship match after defeating St. John Fisher 30-24, 30-28, 26-30, 30-28 in the conference semifinal.

In the championship match versus the Bombers, senior setter Katie Werner (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) recorded 30 assists.  First-year standout Jessica Schaffer (Wellington, OH/Keystone) (Wellington, OH/Keystone) led RIT with 15 digs to go along with eight kills. 

The senior outside-hitting duo of Bonnie Harriman (Danbury, CT/Danbury) (Danbury, CT/Danbury) and Christina Anabel (Apalachin, NY/Vestal) (Apalachin, NY/Vestal) combined to slam 20 kills.  Anabel also had 14 digs.  Senior libero Laura Grell (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) finished with 10 digs. 

Versus the Cardinals of St. John Fisher, Grell recorded a season-best 29 digs in the win.  Fellow senior Werner recorded 47 assists, 12 digs and a team-high five aces. Schaffer slammed 10 kills to go along with 16 digs.

Anabel recorded a 20-20 performance , leading the team with 23 kills and chipping in with 26 digs.  Shea Haney (Newark, DE/St. Elizabeth) (Newark, DE/St. Elizabeth) led the Tigers with three blocks. Sophomore Cecelia Enestrom (Medicine Hat, AB/McCoy) had 13 digs.

RIT will now await a possible NCAA or ECAC Tournament bid.  Those bids will be announced on Sunday night.