Women's Volleyball | 10/9/2018 10:45:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY – The red-hot RIT volleyball team is set to embark on an action-packed week of competition, first with a crucial Liberty League road contest against nationally-ranked Ithaca College on Wednesday, Oct. 10, before hosting the 30th annual RIT Volleyball Invitational on Friday, Oct. 12 and Saturday, Oct. 13.
 
RIT enters the week riding a 15-match winning streak and has a 17-2 overall record. The Tigers and Bombers face off in Ithaca on Wednesday night with both teams currently 4-0 in Liberty League play. The Tigers are hitting .230 as a team and are averaging 12.67 kills per set.
 
Last weekend, RIT rolled to three-set wins over Liberty League foes Union and Skidmore. Katie Hobler (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) combined for 38 kills, while hitting .430 in the two matches. Erin Parkinson (Carrollton, TX/W.T. White) dished out 80 assists (13.3/set) in the two wins.
 
Hobler leads the Tigers with 219 kills (3.78/set) and 33 service aces, while Taylor Higgins (Peru, NY/Peru) is right behind with 205 kills and a team-best 180 digs. Parkinson has 678 assists (10.43/set), while Maria Simonetti (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) leads RIT, averaging 3.98 digs per set.
 
Ithaca, who is ranked No. 19 in the current American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III national poll, is 12-5 overall and 4-0 in league play. Like RIT, Ithaca earned road wins over Liberty League rivals Skidmore and Union last weekend. The Bombers are coming off a trip to the NCAA National Semifinals in 2017. Reagan Stone leads the Bombers with 254 kills (4.10/set), while Caitlyn Floyd has 641 assists (10.34/set). Tara Stilwell has a team-best 277 digs (4.47/set).

This weekend, RIT welcomes Alfred University, The College at Brockport, Buffalo State College, Elmira College and Nazareth College to campus for the 30th annual RIT Volleyball Invitational. 
 
Alfred University (2-16, 2-3 Empire 8) split a pair of Empire 8 matches over the weekend, defeating The Sage Colleges before falling to St. John Fisher. Amber Smith leads Alfred with 162 kills (4.15/set), while Amanda Burns has 270 assists (6.92/set). Sarah Huzyk leads Alfred with 191 digs (5.03/set).
 
The College at Brockport (11-9, 4-2 SUNYAC), the three-time defending SUNYAC Champions, went 2-1 in league pool play last weekend and takes on University of Rochester on Tuesday evening. Laiken Fox leads the Golden Eagles with 251 kills (3.49/set), while Emily Orminski has 562 assists (9.06/set). Defensively, Maddy Taylor has a team-best 255 digs (4.55/set) and Lauren Hess is averaging 0.71 blocks per set.

Buffalo State College (3-17, 0-6 SUNYAC), went 0-3 in league pool play last weekend and takes on St. John Fisher Coll\ege on Tuesday evening. Eimile O'Brien leads the Bengals with 108 kills (1.64/set), while Brooke Federko has 317 assists (4.80/set) and Brittney Valentine has a team-best 186 digs (3.51/set).
 
Elmira College (7-12, 2-2 Empire 8) was in action last Friday, falling in five sets to Empire 8 foe Hartwick. The Soaring Eagles take on Penn College Tuesday and SUNY Cortland Wednesday before coming to RIT. Natalie Schieder leads Elmira with 229 kills (3.27/set), while Taylor Kaznowski has 607 assists (8.67/set) and 35 service aces. Kasey Campbell has a team-best 244 digs (3.54/set).

Nazareth (13-7, 3-1 Empire 8) lost all four matches at the La Verne Tournament in California last weekend and take on Oswego State Wednesday night. Kelsey Milligan leads the Golden Flyers with 166 kills (2.34/set) and 58 blocks (0.82/set), while Jessica Barry has 580 assists (8.53/set). Savannah Bothner has a team-best 209 digs (4.18/set).
 
Below is the complete RIT Volleyball Invitational Schedule:
 
Friday, Oct. 12
5 p.m. - COURT 1 - RIT defeated Nazareth 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 15-10) - Match Stats
7 p.m. - COURT 1 - Elmira defeated Buffalo State - 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-10) - Match Stats
7 p.m. - COURT 2 - Brockport defeated Alfred 3-0 (25-14, 25-8, 25-20) - Match Stats

Saturday, Oct. 13
11 a.m. - COURT 1 - RIT defeated Alfred 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 25-27, 25-15) - Match Stats 
11 a.m. - COURT 2 - Brockport defeated Nazareth 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-16) - Match Stats
1 p.m. - COURT 1 - Elmira defeated Alfred 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-23) - Match Stats - Match Stats
1 p.m. - COURT 2 - Nazareth defeated Buffalo State  3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-12, 25-23) - Match Stats
3 p.m. - COURT 1 - RIT defeated Buffalo State 3-0 (25-8, 25-19, 25-13) - Match Stats
3 p.m. - COURT 2 - Brockport defeated Elmira, 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-18) - Match Stats