UTICA, NY- The Utica College volleyball team dropped a heartbreaker Monday night as it fell to visiting SUNY Delhi 3-2 in non-conference action. 
 
The Pioneers took a 2-0 lead and looked poised to earn the straight set victory, however the Broncos would not back down.  With a 15-12 lead in the third set, SUNY Delhi scored six straight points and then cruised to the win, taking set three 25-15. 
 
Utica went up 20-15 in the fourth set, but Delhi battled back scoring 10 out of the next 11 points to force the deciding fifth set. The teams battled back and fourth in the final frame before Utica was able to pull ahead 12-10.  Delhi once again battled back and was able to steal the victory by scoring five of the next six points.
 
Senior Nicole Herringshaw (Syracuse, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) led Utica with 14 kills and five blocks, while Meaghan Romaguera (Stone Ridge, NY/Rondout) totaled eight kills and Kurstan Martin (Owego, NY/Tioga) added seven.  Freshman Jenna Prewasnicak (Rochester, NY/Churchville-Chili) aided the offense with a season-high 22 assists, while classmate Casey Sims (Schenectady, NY/Niskayuna) added 13 assists.
 
Defensively, Marissa Faroni (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) had a season-high 35 digs, while Romaguera had 18 digs and Sims added 12.  Miranda Stockbridge (Waterville, NY/Waterville) and Lindsey Hannel (Victor, NY/Victor) also chipped in defensively with two blocks each.
 
The Pioneers will trek to the shores of Lake Ontario to compete in the Oswego State Invitational this weekend on Friday and Saturday. The Pioneers will meet SUNY Canton on Friday at 6 p.m., and will then battle St. Lawrence University and D'Youville College on Saturday. Utica's next home match will be an Empire 8 affair against St. John Fisher College on Wednesday, October 3rd.