ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT sophomore outside hitter Liv Benard totaled a match-high 13 kills in the Tigers' 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-12) Liberty League sweep of visiting Bard, Friday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bard rode a 5-1 run to a 9-6 lead in the first set and opened a 13-9 lead. RIT answered with a 6-1 run, including three kills by sophomore outside hitter Samantha Cox and two service aces by junior defensive specialist Jessica Klein, for a 15-14 lead. The Raptors later clung to a 22-21 lead, but the Tigers scored four of the final five points, including three Bard attack errors, to pull out the first-set victory.
• Tied, 5-5, in the second set, RIT used a 6-1 run to build an 11-6 lead. Bard scored two-straight points to pull back within three, 11-8, but the Tigers scored six of the next eight points for a 17-10 edge. The Raptors pulled back within four, 19-15, but RIT finished with a 6-2 run to take the set.
• Tied, 8-8, in the third, the Tigers rode a decisive 11-1 run to a 19-9 lead which proved insurmountable. 

MATCH NOTES

• RIT attacked at a .307 clip for the match, including .464 in the second set, while holding Bard to a .000 attack percentage.
• Klein finished with five service aces and five digs.
• Junior libero Hailey Blixt added 11 digs and four service aces.
• Junior setter Sydney Neff totaled 28 assists and five digs along with four blocks (one solo) and two service aces. 

WHAT'S NEXT
RIT will host Morrisville (11:00 a.m.) and DeSales (1:30 p.m.) on Saturday (Oct. 1).