The Utica College volleyball team went 0-4 in the Empire 8 Conference Crossover Tournament hosted by Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY Saturday and Sunday. Chloe Pierce (Toronto, Ontario, Canada/Richview) led the Pioneers with 21 kills, 28 digs and two solo blocks. Melissa Austin (Castorland, NY/Beaver River) also had 21 kills and added 24 digs. Miranda Austin (Castorland, NY/Beaver River) had 62 assists and 28 digs. During the two-day tournament Utica rivaled St. John Fisher, Stevens Institute of Technology, Ithaca, and Nazareth.

In the first match Utica College lost to St. John Fisher 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-20). For Utica, Me. Austin led the team with seven kills and nine digs. Brielle Swerdlin (Chester, NJ/West Morris Mendham) had five kills and five digs while Mi. Austin added 12 assists with seven digs.

In the second match, UC lost 3-0 to Stevens Institute of Technology (25-8, 25-14, 25-19). Mi. Austin led the team with eight assists and six digs. Pierce added eight digs for Utica.

Utica College lost the third match 3-0 to Ithaca College (25-11, 25-18, 25-18). In this match, Pierce had 11 kills. Mi. Austin added 23 assists and six digs. Me. Austin led the defense with nine digs.

In the final match, UC lost a close one to Nazareth College 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-22). Pierce led the Pioneers with seven kills and seven digs. Me. Austin had eight kills and three digs. Mi. Austin had 19 assists and nine digs.

The Pioneers are back on the hardwood next Wednesday to take on the SUNY IT Wildcats at the Clark Athletic Center in Utica, NY. UC lost both matches versus SUNY IT last year (3-0, 3-1).
However, the Pioneers swept the Wildcats in 2007, winning all three matches in shutout fashion. This year, Utica and SUNY IT are 1-1. Utica won the first match 3-1 and lost the second match 3-0, both at the Wildcats gymnasium. The Pioneers are 9-11 overall and 0-4 in the Empire 8.

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