UTICA, NY- The Utica College volleyball team returns to action this weekend as it travels to Oswego, NY for the Oswego State Invitational.  The Pioneers open the weekend on Friday night against Hilbert College at 7 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Utica is coming off a 3-1 loss at SUNY Poly on Monday... The Pioneers took set one 27-25, before the Wildcats responded to win the next three sets to come away with their second victory of the year… Junior Nicole Herringshaw (Syracuse, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) led the attack as she tallied a team-high 11 kills, while classmate Hannah Voss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) chipped in with nine kills and a team-best four aces… On the defensive side, freshman Morgan Farmer (Saranac Lake, NY/Saranac Lake) led the team with a season-high four blocks, while Herringshaw and Allison Della Penna (Batavia, NY/Batavia) each had three blocks…  Voss and Briana Toledo (Ardsley, NY/Ardsley) led the team with 16 digs each.
 
BLOCK BY BLOCK: Junior Nicole Herringshaw (Syracuse, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) leads the team and ranks second in the conference with 31 total blocks (.97/set)… Herringshaw's 13 solo blocks are the most in the E8… She also leads the Pioneers with 58 kills. 
 
HELPING OUT: Junior Hannah Voss (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) is second on the squad with 47 kills and she leads the team in both service aces (10) and digs (97)… Junior Marissa Faroni (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) has a team-best 114 assists and she is second behind Voss with 56 digs.
 
SCOUTING HILBERT: The Hawks are 0-7 on the year and they are coming off a 3-0 loss to Mount Union on Saturday… Ashley Repine leads the team with 24 kills and 11 blocks… This will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2012, when Utica dropped a five-set heartbreaker to Hilbert.
 
SCOUTING OSWEGO: The Lakers are 2-6 overall and they are coming off an 0-4 weekend at the Northwest Pennsylvania Challenge last weekend… Allison Sullivan leads the team with 51 kills and 28 blocks, while Rina Qelaj has a team-best 88 digs… Utica and Oswego last met in 2015, when the Lakers picked up a 3-0 win in their lone match up of the season.
 
SCOUTING BARD: The Raptors are 3-4 overall and they are coming off a pair of 3-0 wins over Sarah Lawrence and Maritime on Saturday… Philippine Alba leads Bard with 42 kills so far… This will be the first ever meeting between the two teams.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers return home on Wednesday as they open up Empire 8 Conference play against Hartwick College… Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.