Box Score Oneonta, NY (9/20/13)- The Utica College volleyball team lost a heartbreaker, 3-2, Friday night in its Empire 8 Conference opening match against Hartwick College.

The Pioneers fell down two sets to one but were able to fight back to force a fifth and deciding set.  The final frame was all Hartwick as the Hawks took a 6-1 lead in the fifth set and never looked back, cruising to a 15-6 win and an overall 3-2 victory in the match.

Freshman Brandi Blaszak (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) and junior Cassandra Manzer (Portcrane, NY/Chenango Valley) combined for 23 kills, while sophomore Lora Allen (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) led the team with 22 assists.  Chelsea Lauria (Erieville, NY/Cazenovia) had three kills and ten assists.  Laura Homer-Gunther (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit), Alexis Lyon (Prospect, NY/Holland Patent), and Liz Sacco (Franklin, Mass. /Franklin) also added to the offense, while junior Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) had a game-high 18 digs.  Junior Alyssa Nicotera (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) also chipped in with five digs on the night.

The Pioneers(4-7) return to action Saturday as they take on Houghton College at 10 a.m. and Stevens Institute of Technology at 12:30 p.m.


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