Vassar’s Kaplan Reaches 1,000 Kills Milestone

ITHACA – Senior Holland Kaplan buried her 1,000th career kill in the opening match of the day as the Vassar College Women’s Volleyball team fell 16-25, 12-25, 19-25 against #9 Ithaca before rebounding with a 25-22, 25-19, 18-25, 25-22 triumph over Rochester in the nightcap.

Vassar’s record on the season moves to 10-9 overall and 4-2 in Liberty League play.

#9 Ithaca 3 Vassar 0
First Set
Vassar opened the match with a 4-2 lead behind two kills from Kaplan and a winner each from junior Erin Lovett and first year Gina O’Connell.

The Bombers responded to take a 9-7 lead on a kill from Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu and moved it to 14-8 on an ace from Wesley Slavin.

VC cut the deficit to 15-11 on two kills from Kaplan and one winner from Lovett.

An eight-point run from Ithaca, led by four aces from Amaya Parnell, expanded the lead to 24-12.

Two aces from junior Chloe Mau helped the Brewers get within 24-16 until an error gave the Bombers the opening set win.

Second Set
Ithaca raced out to a 9-2 lead to begin the second set following an ace from Karina Garcia.

Vassar trimmed the deficit to 11-7 on two kills from junior Eleanor Gegen.

The Bombers ballooned its lead to 21-8 following two aces from Addison Leadbetter and a winner each from Naomi Clauhs and Brianna Owen.

VC got within 21-10 on an ace from first year Riley Huang but the Bombers took the set on two kills from Jayden Wiese and one each from Elena Chappell and Gonzalez-Abreu.

Third Set
Vassar scored the first four points of the set, led by a kill from Lovett and an ace from Huang.

Ithaca answered to go in front 11-7 following two Chappell kills.

VC got back to within two at 11-9 on a kill from Lovett and a block from senior Francesca Medrano and sophomore Elena Feuer.

The Ithaca lead grew to 18-14 on a Leadbetter kill until a Kaplan kill helped Vassar cut the lead to two.

Vassar got as close as 21-18 but the Bombers used kills from Garcia and Gonzalez-Abreu to finish the sweep.

For The Brewers
Kaplan, who reached the 1,000 kill milestone, tallied nine kills and seven digs while Lovett totaled seven kills.

Gegen added four kills and three digs along with Medrano tallying 14 assists and six digs.

Huang registered two aces and nine digs while first year Sophia Ierulli lifted seven digs.

For The Bombers
Owen posted seven kills and three blocks while Chappell garnered seven kills and two blocks.

Leadbetter recorded four kills, two aces and five total blocks while Parnell totaled 20 assists, five aces and three digs.

Slavin added 10 assists and three digs.

Vassar 3 Rochester 1
First Set
Vassar pulled ahead 6-3 to begin the match following two kills from Kaplan and Lovett along with an ace from Ierulli.

Rochester gained an 8-7 lead on a kill from Emelia Cruz before VC regained the lead at 9-8.

The Yellowjackets used three aces from Julette Azzariti and a winner each from Lydia Weeks and Cruz to go ahead 13-9.

Vassar reeled off seven straight points, led by two Lovett kills, an ace from Medrano and a winner from Gegen, to earn a 16-13 lead.

Consecutive Kaplan kills increased the lead to 21-18 before two kills from Myla Estes-Novar and an ace from Lily Kraemer evened the set at 21.

VC scored four of the next five points, led by two kills from Kaplan and a winner each from O’Connell and Gegen, to take the opening set.

Second Set
VC pulled ahead 7-4 in the second set as Kaplan notched two kills along with a winner each from O’Connell and Gegen.

Rochester went ahead 8-7 on a kill from Nover-Estes until a four-point run, capped by an ace from Medrano, to regain a 11-8 lead.

The Yellowjackets pulled back ahead 16-14 on kills from Ellen Porter and Emily Dienger.

The Brewers collected seven straight points, led by two kills apiece from Kaplan, Gegen and O’Connell, to earn a 21-16 advantage.

Weeks’ service ace got Rochester within 22-19 before a kill from Feuer and a Medrano ace clinched the second set for Vassar.

Third Set
Vassar raced out to a 9-3 lead following three Kaplan kills and an ace from Huang.

Rochester battled back to within 9-8 on an ace from Iliana Balaskas and took a 14-12 lead on a winner from Nover-Estes.

Vassar got within 18-16 on two kills from O’Connell until UR expanded the lead to 22-16 on an ace from Emma McCrann.

VC got as close as 23-18 on a Lovett kill but the Yellowjackets pushed the match to a fourth set with a 25-18 set win.

Fourth Set
The set opened back-and-forth until Rochester pulled ahead 8-6 on a kill from Nover-Estes.

Rochester’s lead expanded to 13-8 behind a kill each from Nover-Estes and Paige Stephenson and an ace from Azzariti.

Following the Yellowjacks pulling ahead 17-11 on a block from Porter and Cruz, VC battled back to within 17-15 on back-to-back blocks from Medrano and O’Connell.

A five-point run, led by a kill each from Gegen and O’Connell and a block from Feuer, pushed the Brewers in front 20-18.

UR got back within 23-22 on a kill from Nover-Estes but a kill from Kaplan and a block from Lovett and O’Connell clinched the four-set victory.

For The Brewers
Kaplan led the way with 15 kills, a block and four digs while Gegen posted nine kills.

O’Connell notched nine kills and four blocks along with Lovett totaling eight kills and three blocks.

Feuer registered four kills and three blocks while Medrano tallied 33 assists, two kills, three aces, two blocks and 14 digs.

Huang recorded 10 digs and two aces while Ierulli garnered 11 digs.