Women’s Volleyball Picks Up Crucial Conference Win Over Keuka; Sets School Record for Wins in a Season

Women’s Volleyball Picks Up Crucial Conference Win Over Keuka; Sets School Record for Wins in a Season

*Head to the SUNYIT Athletics Facebook page for a post-game interview with senior co-captain Taviot Jackowski and other video highlights from today's match 

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – After winning both matches on the first day of a NEAC Crossover event hosted by Morrisville, the SUNYIT Women's Volleyball Team (22-1, 7-0 NEAC) was prepared for their toughest conference test of the season in the form of fellow undefeated-in-conference Keuka (12-6, 5-1 NEAC). After a difficult first set, however, the Wildcats would make it look easy in grabbing their 22nd win-in-a-row, 3 sets to none. With an overall record of 22-1 and 8 matches still remaining, the team also set a new school record for most wins in a season, eclipsing the old mark of 21 set back in 2010 and 2011.

1st Set:

After starting down 10-4, SUNYIT rallied back with a 6-2 run to close the gap. The two teams battled for the next several points, but the turning point came with the score tied 21-21. The two teams would battle for over 2 minutes to determine the winner of the 22nd point, with the Wildcats finally winning the point as the anxious crowd burst into applause.

The Wildcats clearly grabbed the momentum by winning the long point, going on to win the next 3 points and take the game 25-21.

2nd Set:

After falling behind early in the first set, SUNYIT jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the second set and seemed determined to keep it that way.

A Morgan Eberley (Utica, N.Y. / Whitesboro) touch-shot put the 'Cats up 16-10, and the sophomore continued her hot streak with slam down the center of the court later on to make it 20-14.

The Storm, to its credit, mounted a comeback down 24-16, rattling off four-straight points and forcing a timeout by SUNYIT. Out of the play stoppage it was Kaitlyn Harrington (Central Square, N.Y. / Paul V. Moore) that put an end to the bleeding. The senior always seems to be there when the Wildcats need a point, and as usual she delivered the final kill to end the set, 25-20.

3rd Set:

If "slow and steady" won the first two sets for the Wildcats, the final set was a sprint to the finish. Blink and you would've missed it, as the 'Cats would win the set 25-11.

All told, the Wildcats' toughest conference test took just under an hour-and-fifteen minutes, with SUNYIT sweeping the match 3-0.

At time of publication, the Wildcats were getting ready for their final match of the weekend, a 2:00 pm pairing with Cazenovia.