Utica, NY (10/8/14) – The Utica College volleyball team looks to stay in the winning column as they travel for the Ithaca College Invitational. UC will take on King's College and Wells College Friday night. The Pioneers will then face off with Carnegie Mellon University and host Ithaca College on Saturday.

LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers were able to pick up the win against SUNY Cobleskill in straight sets … The Pioneers jumped out to a quick start as they beat the Fighting Tigers 25-7 in the first set … The Fighting Tigers were able to get a quick 10-1 lead in the second set, but the Pioneers rallied back for a 25-20 win … UC closed out the third game with a score of 25-18 taking home the win.

HOMER-GUNTER HELPING OUT: Junior Laura Homer-Gunther (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit) matched her season high 10 kills and five total blocks against Cobleskill (10/8/14) … She ranks third on the team with 86 kills … Homer-Gunther's team leading 42 blocks ranks her fourth in the Empire 8.

ALL AROUND ALLEN: Junior Lora Allen (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) recorded 26 assists, six kills, and three digs against Cobleskill (10/8/14) … She now has 451 assists in 63 sets played … Allen's team leading assists ranks her fifth in the Empire 8 and she also leads the squad with 20 aces. 

MULTIPLE PLAYERS SPIKING DOWN: Sophomore Brandi Blaszak (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) tallied eight kills against Cobleskill (10/8/14) and leads the team with 169 on the season … Blaszak has seven double digit kill games this season … Senior Ashley Jones (Charlton, NY/Galway) tallied seven kills against Cobleskill (10/8/14) and now has 70 on the season … Freshman Samantha Hoerning (Farmingville, NY/Sachem East) chipped in with six against Cobleskill (10/8/14) and now has 77 on the season.

CAN YOU DIG IT: Senior Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) leads the defense with 242 digs in 63 sets played … Enny is averaging 3.84 digs per set; ranking her sixth in the Empire 8.

KING'S COLLEGE: The King's College volleyball team is 10-6 overall with a 2-0 record on neutral courts … Katelyn Shifflett leads the offensive with 145 kills and Mary Loughran leads the defensive with 151 digs.

WELLS COLLEGE: The Well's College volleyball team is 14-6 overall and is 7-3 on neutral courts … As a team they are on an eight game winning streak … The offense is led by Vashti Nettles with 189 kills and Taryn Heath with 386 assists … The defense is anchored by Olyvia Brazier with 180 digs and her teammate Jessilyn Artaho-Aki with 173 digs.

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY: The Tartans are 13-4 overall with a neutral court record of 6-1. Ali Celentano leads the offensive side with 164 kills  and teammate Heather Holton is right behind her with 149 kills … Emily Newton has racked up 393 assists on the season … Holly Higgins has recorded 288 digs to lead the defense.

HOST ITHACA COLLEGE: The Bombers are 14-3 on the season with a 3-2 home court record… The Bombers offense is led by Joelle Goldstein with 174 kills and the defense is led by Dylan Gawinski-Stern with 142 digs … Maggie Mutschler comes in with 131 digs.

LOOKING AHEAD: After this weekend, UC will host Hamilton College Wednesday night for a non-conference game. The game is set to start at 7 p.m.