Women's Volleyball outlasts Union, 3-2, in Liberty League Quarterfinals

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The RIT Women's Volleyball team defeated Union, 3-2 (25-22, 13-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13) in the Liberty League Tournament Quarterfinals, Tuesday.
 
POSTSEASON UPDATE
The fifth-seeded Tigers advanced past the fourth-seeded Garnett Chargers to earn a shot at top-seeded Ithaca in Friday's semifinals at 6:30 p.m. Third-seeded Clarkson also advanced past sixth-seeded Skidmore, 3-1, in Tuesday's other quarterfinal and will square off with second-seeded William Smith in Friday's first semifinal at 4:00 p.m. The two semifinal winners will play for the Liberty League Championship on Saturday at a time to be announced.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Union scored the first six points of the opening set, but RIT responded with a 7-1 run to tie the score, 7-7. The Garnett Chargers retook a 17-13 lead following a 10-6 run, and later led, 21-18, but RIT came back with a 7-1 run to take the opening set.
• Tied, 2-2, to start the second, Union put together a 13-3 run for a 15-5 lead. The Tigers scored the next four points, but finished the set on a 10-4 run to even the match.
• A tight third set saw RIT score three-straight points to build a 12-11 lead, before Union scored four-straight for a 15-12 lead. The Tigers then rode a decisive 9-1 surge to a 21-16 lead, before Union clawed back within two, 22-20. RIT scored three of the final four points to fend off the comeback bid for a 2-1 lead.
• Union jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the fourth and later used a 10-2 run to pull out to a 21-8 lead that proved insurmountable and force a deciding fifth.
• RIT fell behind, 5-3, but scored four-straight points for a 7-5 edge. The Garnett Chargers came back with a 5-2 run for a 10-9 lead and traded the next six points for a 13-12 edge, but the Tigers finished the match with a pair of kills by sophomore outside hitter Macie Jolliffe sandwiched around a kill by graduate student setter Sydney Neff to complete the upset. 

MATCH NOTES

• Jolliffe led RIT with 14 kills and also finished with 16 digs.
• Neff was credited with 45 assists and a team-high 17 digs.
• Senior middle blocker Catherine Vento added 13 kills, five digs and four total blocks (1 solo).
• Sophomore outside hitter Mia Gerber chipped in 12 kills and seven digs.
• RIT is making its ninth Liberty League Tournament Semifinal since joining the league 13 seasons ago in 2011.
• The Tigers will also be in the hunt for their third championship game appearance and first since winning the program's lone Liberty League title in 2018.
• RIT avenged a 3-1 (25-20, 13-25, 25-21, 25-23) setback to visiting Union (Oct. 12) during the regular season.
• RIT lost at Ithaca, 3-0 (28-26, 25-12, 25-21) in the teams' regular-season matchup.