UTICA, NY- The Utica College volleyball team remains home this weekend as it hosts St. John Fisher and Elmira for an Empire 8 Conference tri-match.  The Pioneers take on Fisher at 11 a.m. before wrapping up the day against Elmira at 4 p.m.  In the middle, Elmira and Fisher will play each other (1:30 p.m.)
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers picked up their second straight win on Monday as they defeated Cazenovia 3-0… After jumping out to a 2-0 ledger, the Pioneers trailed in the third set 17-14, however UC was able to rattle off six straight points to regain the lead and take control of the match… Juniors Marissa Faroni (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) and Nicole Herringshaw (Syracuse, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) each had career days as Herringshaw totaled a new career-best 18 kills, while Faroni chipped in with a career-high 29 assists…  Hannah Voss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) had seven kills and tied Abigail Mosenthin (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) for the team-lead with 11 digs...  Faroni also tallied seven digs, while Herringshaw led the squad with four blocks.
 
FORCE AT THE NET: Junior Nicole Herringshaw (Syracuse, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) has shined on both sides of the net so far this season… She leads the team with 152 kills and ranks second in the Empire 8 with 66 blocks.
 
CAN YOU DIG IT?: The Pioneers have three players with over 100 digs on the year… Hannah Voss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) leads the squad with 210 digs, followed by Abigail Mosenthin (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville), who has 177 digs, and Marissa Faroni (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) has totaled 121 digs… Voss is also second on the squad with 107 kills, while Faroni leads the team with 260 assists.
 
SCOUTING FISHER: The Cardinals are 15-5 overall and 3-1 in the Empire 8… They are coming off a 3-1 loss at Nazareth on Wednesday… Utica is 1-5 against Fisher in the last five years… The Pioneers earned a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind win at Fisher in 2015.
 
SCOUTING ELMIRA: The Soaring Eagles are 11-8 overall and 0-4 in the conference… Elmira is coming off a 3-2 win over Wells on Thursday… Utica is 1-5 against the Soaring Eagles in the last five years… The last time UC defeated Elmira was in 2014, when it won 3-1.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers are back in action Thursday as they travel to Empire 8 Conference newcomer, Sage… Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.