SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College volleyball team is back in the Liberty League postseason for the first time since 2012. The Thoroughbreds quest for its second Liberty League crown begins on Friday, when the fourth-seeded Thoroughbreds take on Ithaca, the top seed, at Ben Light Gymnasium in Ithaca at 7 p.m.
 
In the other semifinal, the second seed and defending Liberty League champion Clarkson will take on third-seeded Vassar, in a rematch of last year's league championship game.
 
Skidmore comes into the tournament with an 18-10 overall record, and earned the fourth seed due to a 4-3 mark in conference play. Last weekend, the Thoroughbreds ended the regular season with a 3-1 record at the Skidmore Invitational, defeating Potsdam and Sage in three sets, and New Paltz in four.
 
Offensively, Katy Ehnstrom is one of the top threats in the Liberty League. The sophomore leads the Liberty League and is 35^th in the nation with a .337 hitting percentage. Caite Canfield leads the team and is fifth in the league, averaging 3.22 kills per set. Bailey Hutchins is also a strong offensive threat, averaging 2.47 kills per set. Hutchins is also third in the league with 0.47 service aces per set.  Lauren Wolters paces the Skidmore offense and is third in the league with 9.72 assists per set.
 
On the defensive end, Allie Dillon is fifth in the league, leading the Thoroughbreds with 3.82 digs per set. Ehnstrom also leads the league with 75 total blocks for a 0.72 average per set.
 
Ithaca comes into the weekend as the regular season champions in its first season of Liberty League action. The Bombers are flying high with a 20-7 overall record after an impressive four-set victory over No. 6 Carnegie Mellon last Saturday.
 
The defending Empire 8 Champions lead the league in assists per set (12.08), kills per set (13), and are third in hitting percentage (.206). Opponents hit a league-low .126 against them.

Reagan Stone leads the Bombers in hitting percentage (.291) and kills per set (3.09). Tara Stilwell is among the league leaders in digs per set (4.69) and service aces per set (0.42), while Amanda Cerruti leads the league in blocks per set (0.84).
 
Earlier this season, Skidmore jumped out to an early advantage against Ithaca, before the Bombers rallied to win the first set, eventually winning in three in Ithaca on Oct. 20.