The Utica College women's volleyball team lost to visiting Russell Sage 3-1 Wednesday in non-conference action at the Clark Athletic Center. The Pioneers closed out the season 10-23 overall and 1-7 in Empire 8 Conference play.

UC improved upon last season's seven total victories and one win in conference is also an improvement after going winless in conference in 2006.

The Pioneers lost game one 30-17 and game two 30-22 before battling back to take game three 31-29. Sage closed out the contest defeated the Pioneers 30-16 in the fourth and final game.

Senior outside hitter Karen Crisanti (Geneva/Geneva) had a team high eleven kills and 19 digs in her final game as a Pioneer. In the past two seasons she has led the team in almost every offensive category. She has compiled 587 kills, 703 digs, and 152 blocks. This season she is averaged a team-high 2.57 kills per game. She tallied double-digit kills in 15 games this season, including a season-high 19 kills on October 13th in the Pioneers' 3-2 win over Oswego.

Classmate Andrea Dekker (Reeths-Puffer/Muskegon, MI) added eight kills and 14 digs. In one season with the Pioneers Dekker ranked second on the team with 258 kills in 110 games played. She led the team with 57 service aces, and added 38 assists. She recorded a career-high 17 kills in the Pioneers' 3-2 - five game loss against Keuka College on September 9th.

Mereoni Vunibobo (Cathedral/Jamaica) was also participating in her final home game and she led the team with four blocks and added one service ace. In the past two seasons with the Pioneers she has tallied 212 kills and 154 blocks in 56 matches. She recorded a season-high 11 kills in the Pioneers' 3-1 win over Oswego State on September 14th.

Freshman setter Kaitlin Farruggia (Mt. Markham/Leonardsville) tallied 29 assists and five kills in four games Wednesday. Sophomore Melissa Austin (Beaver River/Castorland) ranked second on the team with nine kills on the evening. Farruggia tallied 531 assists in 33 matches good for 7.39 assists per game this year. Her 40 service aces was good for a third place tie one the team and she also added 110 kills. Austin ranked third on the team this season with 226 kills at the outside hitter position. She ranked second on the team with 47 service aces. In two seasons with UC she has tallied 445 kills, 82 service aces, 776 digs, 25 blocks, and 24 assists.

Sophomore Brielle Swerdlin (W. Morris Mendham/Chester, NJ) added five kills and four digs against Russell Sage. In the past two seasons she has posted 310 kills, 119 assists, 76 services aces, 510 digs and 42 blocks.

Freshman libero Sarah Lucia (Sauquoit Valley High School/Cassville) closed out her freshman campaign with 295 digs and 19 service aces.

Follow the Pioneers this off-season at www.ucpioneers.com.