SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team dropped its first Liberty League match of the season to preseason favorite and AVCA #19 Ithaca College by a 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-18) score on Saturday afternoon at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
After a hot-hitting night on Friday, Union (13-8, 2-1 Liberty League) had trouble at the net against the Bombers, hitting .026 with 28 errors and 31 kills. Senior Shannon McGrath had a team-best 10 kills and added 15 digs for the game's only double-double, while classmate Georgia Pool chipped in a team-leading 18 digs and sophomore Allie Kronenberg added 24 assists and a match-best four service aces.
 
Naomi Clauhs put down a match-leading 11 kills and Ellie Benedict had 20 kills to pace conference-leading Ithaca (14-3, 5-0 Liberty League).
 
Ithaca jumped out to a 12-4 lead to quickly take control of the opening set. A 7-2 run later in the frame, helped by a pair of Kronenberg aces, brought Union back within five at 19-14, but the Bombers finished on a 6-2 run to finish the first frame.
 
The home team hung with the Bombers to start the second set before an 8-2 run created a 20-11 gap that allowed the visitors to take the middle frame. Union trailed 12-11 in the third stanza before another 8-2 run finally gave Ithaca some separation and allowed the visitors to complete the sweep.
 
Union will head onto the road for its next three conference matches, beginning next Saturday with a 2 p.m. contest at Vassar College.