ONEONTA, NY - The Utica College volleyball team fell to Hartwick College on the road on Wednesday night, 3-0. 
 
In the first set, the Pioneers held a 13-9 lead over Hartwick before the Hawks scored five unanswered to take a 14-13 lead. Moments later with the set tied at 17, the hawks went on another modest 4-0 run to take a 21-17 advantage. UC took the next three points thanks to a pair of Kurstan Martin (Owego, NY/Tioga) kills and a Hartwick attack error to come within one point. However, the Hawks rattled off the next four points to take set one, 25-20
 
The Pioneers stormed out to a 7-2 lead in the second set with only one point coming from the offense, being an Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) kill. The Hawks responded with a 7-2 run of their own to even the set at nine points each. Now 10-10, Hartwick took 10 of the next 13 points to take a commanding 20-13 lead before finishing off the set, 25-18. 
 
Utica was never able to take a lead in the third set, coming as close as a 14-12 deficit at one point. The Hawks took back control from there, outsourcing the Pioneers 11-3 to take the set 25-15 and finish the straight set sweep. 
 
Martin and Cepiel led Utica with seven kills each while Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) recorded three of her own. Krystell Pappas (Owensboro, KY/Owensboro) finished with 12 digs followed by Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) and Cepiel with eight each. Maggiore and Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) finished as Utica's leaders in assists with Maggiore recording nine and Johnson finishing with eight. As a team, the Pioneers finished the game with 21 kills on a .104 hitting percentage. 
 
UC (6-13, 2-4 Empire 8) returns to action on Saturday when SUNY Poly and King's College come to Miga Court for a tri-match. The Pioneers will take on SUNY Poly at 11 a.m. before battling King's College at 3 p.m.