SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College volleyball team pushed Rochester to the brink on Saturday but fell in four sets to the visiting Yellowjackets (25-20, 19-25, 25-16, 27-25).
 

• Rochester won again later in the day against Middlebury to improve to 12-4. Skidmore is 7-9.
• The Thoroughbreds were one point away from forcing a deciding fifth set before Rochester answered with two points to get to match point. Skidmore fought it off an a UofR attack error to tie it again at 25. Then, an Areti Tsirikaki kill followed directly by a McKenzie McDonald ace gave Rochester the set and match.
• Jazlin Chen led Skidmore with eight kills, four aces, three blocks – including one solo block – and six digs.
• Jo Blanco had seven kills to go with seven digs.
• Ella Harris finished with two solo blocks and four block assists to lead all players.
• Overall, Skidmore led 10-5 in total team blocks.
• Catriona Hoelperl tallied 16 assists. Noa Berger posted 10. Athena Braverman registered 14 digs.
• The tight match featured 27 total ties and 10 lead changes. The most were in the fourth set, where there were 10 tied scores to go along with four lead changes.
• Rochester scored the last four points of the first set to go up 1-0.
• The Thoroughbreds bashed to the tune of a .308 team hitting percentage in the second set and led by as many as eight on the way to a 25-19 victory.
• The Yellowjackets got ahead in the third game with a 6-0 run to swap out a one-point deficit with a five-point lead. The visitors then closed the set on a 5-1 spurt.
• Skidmore had leads of 10-9, 12-10, and 13-12 in set four before Rochester ran off seven in a row to take a 19-13 lead. Skidmore scored six out of the next seven and 7-of-9 to tie it up at 21.
• The score was tied at 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 before Rochester clinched it.

NEXT UP: Skidmore will travel next weekend for Liberty League matches at William Smith and Ithaca.