ALBANY, N.Y. – The Skidmore College volleyball team went 1-1 on Friday evening to kick off the Russell Sage/Union Crosstown Challenge. Skidmore fell to Nichols 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-14) before downing host Sage in straight sets (25-11, 25-13, 25-19).
 
Nichols 3, Skidmore 0

• Tied at 10 in the first set, Skidmore scored 6-of-7 points and eventually inched to a 23-16 lead. Nichols climbed all the way back with six consecutive points to trim Skidmore's lead to one, 23-22.
• The Thoroughbreds answered to get to set point, but Nichols stole the game by scoring the game's final four points. It was a 10-1 Nichols run to end the set.
• The second set was also even into the middle stages before another Nichols run put the Bison up 2-0.
• Nichols dropped eight in a row in the third and final set to get a 15-6 lead before rolling to the win.  

 
Skidmore 3, Sage 0

• The Thoroughbreds kept the host Gators to fewer than 20 points in each of the three sets in the sweep.
• Fueled by a .333 hitting percentage in the first half backed by just one error, Skidmore hit .198 for the match. Sage was at -.126.
• Carolyn Scott led Skidmore with six kills. Jo Blanco and Madison Manning both had five.
• Ella Harris led all players with six block assists. Manning had three, and Scott tallied two.
• Manning registered a team high 14 digs and Blanco followed close behind with 11.
• Skidmore players had just two receiving errors.
• The setting tandem of Noa Berger (13) and Tiffany Flores (9) combined for 22 assists.
• After dropping the first point, Skidmore scored eight in a row to take command in the first set.
• The second set featured a 9-1 Thoroughbred run.
• Sage came out strong in the third game and stuck Skidmore at 23 for three straight points before Emma Ferrigno and Harris kills clinched it.

NEXT UP: Skidmore finishes the weekend on Saturday at Union against Drew at 12 p.m.