OSWEGO, NY- The Utica College volleyball team lost both matches of its double-header on the first day of the Oswego State Invitational Friday evening.  UC lost to host Oswego State 3-0, before dropping a heartbreaking five-set thriller to D'Youville College.
 
Utica 0, Oswego State 3- Game One Final
Freshman Hannah Voss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) led the Pioneers with seven kills, while senior Laura Homer-Gunther (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit) tallied six kills.  Homer-Gunther collected a hitting percentage of .545, keeping her atop the Empire 8 standings with a combined season hitting percentage of .486. 
 
Senior Lora Allen (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) tallied 13 assists and added eight digs, while classmate Alexis Lyon (Prospect, NY/Holland Patent) led the squad with 12 digs. 
 
Utica 2, D'Youville 3- Game Two Final
The Spartans and the Pioneers exchanged 25-22 decisions in the first two sets, before D'Youville took the third set 25-23.  With its back against the wall, Utica rallied to take the fourth set by a score of 25-20 and force a deciding fifth set.  D'youville jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the final set and never looked back as it went on to win the set 15-9 and take the match.
 
Once again, Voss led Utica with 11 kills and added three service aces, while Homer-Gunther was right behind her with 10 kills, two blocks, and one ace. 
Lora Allen (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) led Utica with 31 assists and a season-high 18 digs, while Voss chipped in with 15 digs of her own, and Lyon added 11 digs. 
 
Junior Brandi Blaszak (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) led all Utica players with four blocks on the evening to boost her season total to 20. 
 
The Pioneers (2-9) return to action Saturday for the second day of the tournament.  Utica will kick off the action at 10 a.m. as it takes on Sage College.  UC will then wrap up the weekend with a rematch against SUNY Canton (12 p.m.).