ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT volleyball team (26-4) wrapped up the 2018 regular season by defeating New York University (17-14) and St. John Fisher College (17-15) on day two at the New York State Regional Challenge from Clark Gym Saturday. Katie Hobler (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) was named Most Outstanding Player, while Erin Parkinson (Carrollton, TX/W.T. White) earned All-Tournament Team honors.
 
In the opener against NYU, RIT took the first two sets, 25-22 and 25-21 before NYU rallied to earn a 26-24 win in set three. The Tigers jumped out to a big lead in set four and closed out the match with a 25-19 win.
 
The Tigers slammed 56 kills to 42 from NYU and added eight service aces. NYU held a slight 12-10 edge in blocks.
 
Hobler led all players with 21 kills, while hitting .348. Parkinson had 50 assists and four blocks, while Shelby Doheny (Moreau, NY/South Glens Falls) and Kelly Waters (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) added eight kills and five blocks apiece. Taylor Higgins (Peru, NY/Peru) had a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs to go along with three service aces and Sara Taylor (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) added six kills. Maria Simonetti (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) (14) and Paige Daly (Allison Park, PA/Hampton) (12) combined for 26 digs.
 
Nazzerine Waldon led the Violets with 15 kills and added 10 digs. Emily Kleck hit .562 with 10 kills and three blocks, while Jacqueline Kupeli added a match-high 21 digs.
 
The Tigers and Cardinals waged a tremendous battle in the final match of the afternoon. St. John Fisher won the first set, 25-22, before RIT rallied to win set two, 25-18 and set three, 25-21. The Cardinals rallied to win set four, 25-22, before RIT took control in the fifth and decisive set, earning a 15-10 victory.
 
Hobler recorded 21 kills for the second straight match, while hitting .321. Waters slammed 14 kills and hit .300, while Doheny and Taylor added seven kills apiece. Doheny also had a team-best four blocks. Parkinson dished out 53 assists and had three blocks, while Simonetti led the Tigers with 16 digs. Higgins had 10 digs and nine kills.
 
Alea Steigerwald became St. John Fisher's all-time leader in kills during the match, leading her team with 19 to go along with 11 digs. Izzy Smith added 15 kills, while Olivia Levulis hit .615 with eight kills. Rebecca Hay added 43 assists, while Elise Kreuz had 17 digs.
 
RIT is now 5-0 in five-set matches this season. RIT's .867 regular season winning percentage is second best in program history.
 
"This was a really good weekend for us to close out our regular season and prepare us for the Liberty League Championships," said RIT head coach Jim Lodes. "Playing three really good opponents with solid game plans that tested us definitely helps us be ready for next weekend. I like our momentum as we get ready to compete on Friday."
 
RIT will head to Ithaca College for the 2018 Liberty League Championships next weekend. The second-seeded Tigers will take on No. 3 seed Vassar College in the first semifinal Friday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. If RIT wins Friday, they will take on the winner between top-seeded Ithaca College and No. 4 seed Clarkson University on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 4 p.m.