(10/24/13)- The Utica College volleyball team travels to Nazareth for its final three games in the Empire 8 Cross Over Tournament. The Pioneers take on Alfred University at 6 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, UC plays St. John Fisher College at 10 a.m. before concluding its season against Elmira College at 12:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: UC was blanked 3-0 on "Senior Night" against Sage College… The Gators downed UC in straight sets, 25-23, 25-21, 25-13 to pick up their 13th win of the year... Helen Putriment led Sage with 15 kills on the evening… Freshman Brandi Blaszak (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro)  once again led the Pioneers with 11 kills, nine digs, and four blocks…  Lora Allen (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) had 14 assists for UC.

REMEMBERING THE SENIORS: Leah Kazalski (Greene, NY/Greene), Liz Sacco (Franklin, Mass. /Franklin), Cassi Brancato (Gloversville, NY/Mayfield), Cassandra Manzer (Portcrane, NY/Chenango Valley), and Hayle Strife finish their collegiate playing careers this weekend … As a class, they've won 21 matches over the past four years… The Pioneers have increased their win total in each of the past three seasons.

BLASZAK EMERGING: Freshman Brandi Blaszak (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) is emerging as the leader of this Utica College volleyball team … Blaszak leads the Pioneers with 256 kills and 105 blocks this season … Blaszak has recored double-digit points in each of the last seven matches … With 363 points on the year, Blaszak has 100 more than any of her fellow Pioneers … Blaszak ranks first in the Empire 8 conference with 1.01 blocks per game.

SECONDARY SCORING: Cassandra Manzer (Portcrane, NY/Chenango Valley) and Laura Homer-Gunther (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit) have each recorded over 200 points this season… Both have played in all 29 matches this season … Manzer's .269 hitting percentage is good for sixth in the Empire 8 … Lora Allen (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) has 460 assists this season, which leads the Pioneers by a wide margin.

ASSESSING ALFRED: The Saxons are 3-21 overall and 0-5 in Empire 8 conference play … Alfred enters the weekend on a four-match losing streak … Alfred was downed by Oswego State 3-0 in their last match … Chelsea Hall leads the Saxons with 198 kills followed by Paige Jensen with 139 … Taylor Kiernan's 299 digs are good for first on the team.

SCOUTING ST. JOHN FISHER: The Cardinals enter the weekend at 13-14 and 2-2 in Empire 8 conference play … The Cardinals have won two of their last three matches … St. John Fisher defeated host RIT in a thrilling five-set match last time out … Rachael Kline and Megan Miller lead the way for the Cardinals … Kline has 297 kills on the season compared to Miller's 258 … Erin Crandall and Andrea Gillespie both average over three digs per set.

THE SOARING EAGLES: Elmira College is the toughest opponent the Pioneers will face this weekend … Elmira sits at 19-10 and 2-2 in Empire 8 conference play … The Soaring Eagles had a six-match winning streak snapped last time out by SUNY Cortland … Elmira features the Empire 8 leader in kills in Taryn Rumsey … Rumsey has 464 kills on the season … No other player in the conference has 300 … Sami Hanes sets up the majority of those kills as she ranks first in the Empire 8 with 966 assists … Catherine Miller ranks fourth in the conference with 4.40 digs per set.


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