PITTSFORD, NY – The RIT volleyball team (4-3) split a pair of matches for the second straight day at the Golden Flyer Invitational hosted by Nazareth on Saturday. The Tigers opened the day by losing in three sets to host Nazareth (4-4) and were able to upend Hartwick (3-5) in four sets. Sophomore Sarah Szybist (Chicago, IL/Ramstein) was named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
In the opener, RIT never got going, as Nazareth rolled to the win by scores of 25-9, 25-17, 25-19.
 
For RIT, Szybist led all players with 13 kills, while hitting .290. Senior libero Bethany Davis (Blasdell, NY/Frontier) had 12 digs, while Amy Van Hienen (Castor, Alberta/Gus Wetter) had 10 digs and four kills. Setter Emma Dowdy (Cocoa, FL/Edgewood) had 12 assists and four digs.
 
Nazareth had 12 service aces to RIT's one and five blocks to just one for RIT.
 
Jennifer Hicks led host Nazareth by hitting .571 with nine kills and three blocks. Kassandra Buseck slammed 10 kills, while Maria Allocco led the team with six service aces to go along with six kills. Madi Wickens added 30 assists.
 
"I thought Nazareth did a great job against us," said RIT head coach Jim Lodes. "We are playing just steady enough to compete at that level."
 
In the second match, the Tigers cruised to a 30-28, 25-15, 23-25, 25-12 win over Hartwick. Szybist slammed 22 kills and added 11 digs, while Taylor Harkness (Batavia, NY/Batavia) added six kills and four blocks. The duo of Dowdy and Laiz Novaes (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/Centro Educational) combined for 26 assists, with Dowdy recording 23 and Novaez, 13.
 
Kayla Wheeler (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) tied for the team lead with four blocks to go along with three kills, while Van Hienen added 10 digs and seven kills. Novaez had a team-high five service aces and Davis had 12 digs and four aces.
 
Dana Martin led Hartwick with 16 kills, while Qunicy Kinzel added 23 assists.
 
RIT had a sideout percentage of .930 and hit .500 with nine kills in the second set against Hartwick.
 
"We had some better moments in the match against Hartwick, but still feel we need to raise our intensity on every point of a match," said Lodes. "When that happens, we will be able to compete at the level we need to."
 
Last night, RIT fell in five sets to Lycoming and rebounded to defeat Hilbert in three sets.

The Tigers return action by hosting the 26th annual, seven-team RIT Volleyball Invitational on Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13. RIT hosts Medaille at 7 p.m. on Friday and play St. John Fisher at 11 a.m. and Keuka at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.