ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT senior outside hitter Katie Hobler (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) totaled a match-high 13 kills and a .407 hitting percentage to lead the Tigers to a 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-19) victory over visiting Rochester, Wednesday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams played a close first set until RIT used a 7-1 run, including a pair of service aces by sophomore defensive specialist Hailey Blixt (Chandler, AZ/Arizona College Prep), to open a 19-12 lead. The Tigers later closed the set with four-unanswered points, capped by kills from Hobler and freshman middle Samantha Cox (Glen Gardner, NJ/Voorhees).
• Rochester build an 8-4 lead in the second, but RIT rode a 9-1 surge to take a 13-9 lead. Rochester scored five-straight points to retake a 14-13 lead, before the Tigers put together an 8-1 run, including three Hobler kills, to lead, 21-15. The Yellowjackets scored seven of the next eight points to knot the set, 22-22. Tied, 24-24, a kill by senior outside hitter Taylor Higgins (Peru, NY/Peru) and a Rochester hitting error yielded a two-set RIT lead.
• The Tigers opened a 9-5 lead in the third before kills by senior middle Calista Gasper (Sarver, PA/Freeport) and Hobler later yielded a 13-7 edge. Leading, 14-9, RIT scored a 4-1 run, buoyed by a pair of service aces by freshman setter Sydney Neff (Delmar, NY/Academy of the Holy Names), to grab an 18-10 lead. Rochester got as close as six points, 20-14, but couldn't close the gap down the stretch. 

GAME NOTES

• Higgins finished with 10 kills and nine digs
• Senior libero Kiana Walker (Lloydminster, Alberta/Lloydminster Comprehensive) totaled a match-high 18 digs as the RIT defense held Rochester to a .084 team hitting percentage.
• RIT compiled nine service aces, including four by Blixt and two apiece by Neff and Higgins. 

WHAT'S NEXT
RIT opens Liberty League play on Friday (Sept. 24) hosting Clarkson at 4:00 p.m.