ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT women's volleyball team opened up Liberty League play in 2015 with an early test against two of the top teams in the Liberty League. The Tigers (11-8, 1-1 Liberty League) fell to defending Liberty League champions Clarkson (14-3, 6-0 Liberty League) in three sets, before rebounding to defeat St. Lawrence (10-10, 4-2 Liberty League) in three sets at Clark Gymnasium Friday night.
 
In set one against Clarkson, RIT came out to a quick 10-5 lead in the first set on the strength of Sarah Szybist (Chicago, IL/Ramstein)'s two early kills and a service ace. Clarkson, ranked 18th by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), responded with a 10-1 run to take control of the first set. Victoria Kirkemo and Lauren Hutchinson each recorded two kills to help the Golden Knights hold on to a 25-20 first set victory.
 
The second and third sets were tighter, with the Tigers holding leads down the stretch in both. In the second, RIT sparked an 8-4 run to hold a 12-11 lead. Clarkson took advantage from there. Sierra Rhoades closed the door with a service ace, giving the Golden Knights the 25-21 win. In the third, the Tigers went on a 7-0 run to give themselves the 16-14 advantage, but Clarkson once again responded, eventually finishing the match with a 25-22 set win.
 
Szybist led the Tigers with 11 kills, adding three blocks and eight digs. Laiz Novaes (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/Centro Educational) led the team with nine digs and three service aces, adding six kills. Erin Parkinson (Carrollton, TX/W.T. White) had 29 assists to buoy the RIT attack.
 
For Clarkson, Aishvina Arasu led the way with 13 kills. Tara Stilwell led the team in digs with 11, adding a service ace. Kristie Shurie led the team in blocks, with four, adding eight digs.
 
"I felt we did some nice things in this match," said RIT volleyball head coach Jim Lodes. "We still need to play in the moment. If we trust our training and believe, we will be able to limit our unforced errors. Those areas will then determine if we can compete at a level that allows us to win important matches in the Liberty League."
 
In game two, the Tigers battled St. Lawrence close throughout. The first set saw a seasaw battle early on. RIT went on a 9-3 run to give them the 16-10 advantage. Szybist and Aleah Chinn (Wichita, KS/Witchita Southeast) put the finishing touches on the set, as they won 25-19.
 
The Saints answered back in the second set, racing out to an 8-2 lead. The Tigers showed their resilience, taking control of the set, finishing the set with a 25-22 victory. That momentum carried them through the third set, as they seized control of the match early on. St. Lawrence made yet another run in the third, but strong play by Novaes led to a 25-16 win in the deciding set.
 
Novaes finished with a double-double, leading the way with 15 digs and 12 kills. Szybist nearly had a double-double of her own, with 14 kills and nine digs. Erin Parkinson (Carrollton, TX/W.T. White) tallied 37 assists. Rebecca Bennett (Springfield, PA/Springfield) added 14 digs in an important bounce-back win.
 
For St. Lawrence, Lexi Brown led the way with 12 kills and a block. Masha Kolesnikova had a solid all-around game, with five kills, eight digs, and an assist.  
 
"I was really happy with our performance," said Lodes. "We played pretty well most of this match. St. Lawrence is a high-energy team that just doesn't stop coming at you. It took a really good effort to get this league win. I'm proud that we bounced back."
 
The Tigers will finish up the Liberty League crossover weekend, with a pair of matches against Vassar at 12 p.m. (8-7, 3-3 Liberty League) and Bard (8-10, 0-6 Liberty League) at 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.