ITHACA, NY – Susquehanna University opened the Ithaca Tri-Match Tournament by battling the Knights of SUNY Geneseo. In a hard-fought contest, the River Hawks were unable to come out on top as they lost 3-0, with each set having a final score margin of six or less. Tomorrow's games will be a tougher test with top-25 teams, as they play their second match against eighth-ranked Johns Hopkins at 10:30 A.M, then concluding the tournament by facing the hosts and 25th-ranked Ithaca College at 6:00 P.M. 

Set number one set the tone for the match, with Susquehanna fighting hard and trailing 16-9 at one point before rallying back to a 16-14 deficit. They could not complete the comeback bid, however, ultimately losing the battle 25-19. The second set was an even closer contest, as the River Hawks kept a closer tab on the Knights and even leading down the stretch 19-17. Geneseo responded with four straight points, eventually taking the set 25-23. Never a team to quit, Susquehanna looked determined to bounce back in the final set, starting with three consecutive points before dropping the set 25-22. 

Senior standout Emily Kowalski continued her impressive season leading the team in kills with 12, followed closely by fellow senior Ryan Rorls, who secured eight on the day. First-year setter Delaney McCoy also stepped up her performance with 14 assists to top both teams, while her first-year cohort Valerie Stoltz secured 10 digs. Defense was on point in this match, as Amanda Gore collected a pair of solo blocks, followed by Emily Kowalski, Ryan Rorls, and Sami Kline all contributing solo blocks as well. 

Susquehanna finished the day with a .038 hitting percentage, accounting for 28 kills with 24 errors on 104 attempts, while the Knights had a .086 hitting percentage with 36 kills and 26 errors on 116 swings.