ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT volleyball team (11-2) continued its strong play, earning a four-set win (25-18, 15-25, 25-22, 25-20) over the University of Rochester (14-2) in a non-conference contest from The Palestra on Tuesday evening. RIT extended its winning streak to nine matches.
 
Freshman Katie Hobler (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy), the reigning Liberty League Rookie of the Week, continued her tremendous run, hitting .357 with a match-high 21 kills, seven digs, four assisted blocks and two service aces. Senior setter Erin Parkinson (Carrollton, TX/W.T. White) dished out 42 assists, while adding eight digs and three aces.
 
The Tigers got off to a great start in the match, jumping out to leads of 7-2 and 12-4 in the first set. The Tigers would maintain a sizeable lead throughout on their way to a 25-18 set one win. RIT hit .379 with five aces in the set.
 
Rochester would respond in the second set, using a 10-3 run midway through to build a big lead and win, 25-15. The Yellowjackets hit .387 and added four blocks in the set.
 
The third set was a back-and-forth affair, with RIT jumping out to a 14-10 lead before Rochester scored eight of the next 10 points to grab an 18-16 edge. Down 20-18, RIT made a strong surge, using a 6-1 run to take control late in the set and win, 25-22.
 
The Tigers carried that momentum into the fourth set, scoring eight of the first 10 points. RIT would lead by as much as nine, at 19-10 before Rochester cut the lead to 22-19. Hobler's 20th kill of the match would make it 23-19. Another kill by Hobler and a Rochester attack error would put the match away for RIT.

"We are very pleased to get a tough road win against a strong regional opponent," said RIT head coach Jim Lodes. "We are learning what it will take to compete and win in these types of matches as we continue to move forward."
 
The Tigers had 47 kills to 45 for Rochester and recorded nine service aces.
 
The duo of junior middle blockers Shelby Doheny (Moreau, NY/South Glens Falls) and Kelly Waters (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) combined to hit .458 with 14 kills and eight assisted blocks. Both had seven kills and four blocks. Classmate Maria Simonetti (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) compiled a match-high 12 digs, while Taylor Higgins (Peru, NY/Peru) added 10 digs and six kills.
 
Alara Kocak led the Yellowjackets with 13 kills, while hitting .370 and adding 10 digs. Kate Forslund 10 kills and three blocks, while Beth Ghyzel dished out 30 assists to go along with 10 digs, five blocks and five kills.
 
RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 51-40.

RIT returns to action this weekend with three matches at the SUNY Cortland Red Dragon Classic. RIT takes on Wilkes University Friday evening at 6 p.m. and on Saturday faces host SUNY Cortland at 11 a.m. and SUNY Morrisville at 1:30 p.m.