Utica,NY (10/30/14) – The Utica College Volleyball team travels to Houghton on Saturday to take on SUNY Cortland and Buffalo State. These games will wrap up the 2014 season for the Pioneers.

LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers fell to St. John Fisher and Elmira in the Empire 8 Cross Over Tournament held at Utica … UC was able to take the first set against Fisher but the Cardinals rallied to win the next three sets … UC and Elmira alternated winning the sets throughout the match; with the Soaring Eagles taking the first set, Elmira won the game.

TURNING IT UP: Junior Laura Homer-Gunther (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit) has dialed it up the past two games … She totaled 24 kills and four blocks over the weekend; with her performance it puts her first on the team for blocks and third on the team for kills.

CLIMBING THE RANKS: Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) now sits in third place for most digs in the Empire 8 … Enny racked up 37 digs over the weekend bringing her season total to 431 … She now has 23 double digit dig games.

HERE TO ASSIST: Lora Allen (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) has served up 725 assists this season ranking her fifth in the Empire 8 … Allen has double digit assists in all but two matches this season … Over the weekend she led the team in assists with 63.

SCOUTING SUNY CORTLAND: The Red Dragons are 13-17 and 5-7 on neutral courts … They are riding a three game win streak, with wins over, Brockport, Plattsburgh, and Buffalo State … They are led by Melanie McGuirk and Mary Kelly for most digs and kills on the team, respectively.

LAST TIME AGAINST CORTLAND: UC and Cortland tipped off in the season opener and lost in straight sets … Brandi Blaszak (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro), Michaline Rubas (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville), and Samantha Hoerning (Farmingville, NY/Sachem East) led the team with six kills while Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) posted ten digs.

SCOUTING THE BENGALS: The Bengals are 21-10 and 14-6 on neutral courts … They are coming off a 3-2 loss to SUNY Cortland … They are led by Sam Parente and Rachelle Kelchlin for most kills and digs on the team, respectively.

LAST TIME AGAINST BUFFALO STATE: This will mark the first time since 2009 the two teams will square off … Back in 2009; the Bengals beat UC 3-1.

WHATS NEXT: The Pioneers did not qualify for the Empire 8 Championships. With the season ending they will send off three seniors; they are Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury), Ashley Jones (Charlton, NY/Galway), and Chelsea Lauria (Erieville, NY/Cazenovia).