HENRIETTA, N.Y. – Rochester bounced back from a slow start to show well in the second and third sets on Wednesday night, but host RIT prevailed, 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-19).
 
This match paired RIT, which won the UR Volleyball Invitational title in the Palestra and Goergen Athletic Center in early September, against Rochester, which tied for the second best record (with Smith College) in the tournament at 3-1. RIT was 4-0. It was the 92^nd all-time pairing of the rivals. The series began in 1974. RIT holds a 50-42 lead.
 
Megan Gatz had her third double-double of the year in kills and digs. She finished with 12 kills, her second highest total this season, and 11 digs. She had a season's best 16 kills vs. Thiel College. Ella Sokolowski had five kills and six digs. Megan Hauer had five digs. Zaira Reyes had four digs, two service aces, and 11 assists.

Ana Cerezer contributed three kills, two assists, three digs, one block, and two service aces. Lauren Lopez had three digs and Isabelle Miranda had eight assists. Ilaria Benciolini had three kills.
 
Rochester held a 9-8 lead early in the first set. RIT scored four of the next five points (12-10). After a Rochester point, RIT ran off a 5-1 burst for a 17-11 lead. The Yellowjackets got off to a quick start in the second set, building an 8-4 lead. A kill by Cerezer plus a ball handling error on the Tigers and a bad set helped the run. RIT surged in front, 13-10, before Cerezer served four straight points for a 14-13 lead. After a service error, RIT scored four straight, building an 18-14 lead. As the match was winding into the 20-team point area, RIT led, 22-17. Sokolowski got a kill and Gatz served four in a row to tie it at 22-22. A Sokolowski kill tied it at 24-24, before RIT took advantage of a kill and a Rochester kill error to win by two, 26-24. The Tigers were in early control in the third set. Rochester battled from 20-11 down to get within 21-15.
 
UR is 5-7. RIT is 10-2. The Yellowjackets will host SUNY Geneseo next Tuesday in the Palestra. On October 3, Rochester goes to Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, to play in the second UAA round robin. UR will face Case Western Reserve and Carnegie Mellon.