Women's Volleyball earns 3-2 comeback win over Hamilton to split RIT Invitational day-2 action

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Women's Volleyball team split two matches on day-two of the RIT Invitational, including a five-set comeback win over Hamilton, 3-2 (21-25, 11-25, 25-20, 25-21, 15-9), after dropping the first two sets. The Tigers opened the day with a 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-13, 25-15) setback to Springfield.
 
RIT 3, HAMILTON 2 (21-25, 11-25, 25-20, 25-21, 15-9)

• Sophomore outside hitter Macie Jolliffe totaled 14 kills and 11 digs while senior outside hitter Samantha Cox added 15 kills to lead the Tigers back from an 0-2 deficit.
• Graduate student setter Sydney Neff added 44 assists and 11 digs.
• RIT led, 3-2, early in the first, but Hamilton put together a 7-2 run for a 9-5 lead. The Tigers got back within two, 10-8, but the Continentals rode an 8-2 surge to an 18-10 lead. RIT scored nine of the next 12 points to, including back-to-back kills by sophomore outside hitter Mia Gerber to pull the Tigers back within two, 21-19. However, Hamilton notched four of the final six points to take the opening set.
• Hamilton broke an early 2-2, second-set, tie with an 11-3 run for a 13-5 edge. The Tigers got as close as five, 15-10, but the Continentals finished the set with a 10-1 run for the two-set lead.
• Neither team led by more than two during a back-and-forth third, before RIT broke a 19-19 tie with four-straight points for a 23-19 lead. A Neff service ace and a Gerber kill closed the set in favor of the Tigers.  
• Hamilton won the first point of the fourth, but RIT responded with a 7-2 run to take a lead it wouldn't relinquish. The Continentals tied the score on three occasions, including 15-15, but the Tigers closed the set with a 10-6 surge, including three Gerber kills, to force the deciding fifth.
• RIT broke a 4-4 tie with a 4-1 run for an 8-5 lead. Hamilton pulled back within one twice, including 9-8, but the Tigers scored five-unanswered for a 14-8 lead en route to the comeback victory. 

SPRINGFIELD 3, RIT 1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-13, 25-15)

• Cox totaled 10 kills while Neff was credited with 29 assists and nine digs.
• RIT trailed, 8-6, in the first before the Pride rode a 10-1 run to an 18-7 lead that proved insurmountable.
• The Tigers responded with a 7-1 run to open the second and later led 13-5 before a 4-0 Springfield run made it a four-point set. The Pride later pulled within two, 19-17, but a 3-1 run, including two kills by senior outside hitter Catherine Vento, pushed RIT back to a 22-18 lead it would not relinquish.
• Springfield opened an early 9-5 lead in the fourth and pulled away with a 10-5 run for a 19-10 edge before scoring six of the final nine points to close the set.
• RIT led, 7-6, in the fourth, but the Pride used an 8-1 run to take a 14-8 lead. The Tigers scored the next two points, but Springfield put together a 9-2 run for a 23-13 edge to put the match out of reach.

WHAT'S NEXT
RIT will play three matches at the Allegheny Invitational next weekend, taking on Westminster (Pa.) on Friday (Sept. 13) at 6:00 p.m. before facing Washington & Jefferson (11:00 a.m.) and Fredonia (1:00 p.m.) on Saturday (Sept. 14).