HOUGHTON, NY - The Utica College volleyball team played a pair of extremely close sets with Houghton, but the host Highlanders found a way to string together a straight set win by scores of 26-24, 26-24, and 25-17 in an Empire 8 Conference match in Houghton, NY.

The Pioneers fall to 1-2 overall, and in conference.

Offensively, the Pioneers were paced by newcomer Julyanna Sauschuk, who had seven kills on the afternoon. E8 Player of the Week Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) and Kurstan Martin (Owego, NY/Tioga) each had five apiece. Cepiel and Martin also led the service game with Cepiel recording four aces, while Martin added a pair. Rookie Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) had fourteen assists, and classmate Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) had nine.

Defensively, senior Briana Toledo (Ardsley, NY/Ardsley) had twelve digs, while Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) and Cepiel each logged seven. Rosemarie Fesko (Goshen, NY/Goshen Central) had three blocks, and Brianna Woods (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) and Caitlyn Curcurito (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) each had a pair.

Jenna Bittinger had nine kills and eight digs to lead Houghton, who improves to 2-1.

Late in the first set, the Pioneers were facing set point down 24-22 when Martin delivered arguably her two most important kills of the match to even the set at 24. This was after Utica rattled off three straight points to stay in the thick of the set after falling behind 23-19. Houghton's Adeline Roeske and Brooke Decker found the points the Highlanders needed with the two kills that ended the first set.

The Pioneers stayed with the Highlanders in set two despite Houghton holding its best attack percentage of the day in the frame. The lead swapped numerous times throughout the set, and Utica got two big points late on an error, and one of Julyanna Sauschuk's team-best seven kills to again tie the set at 24. As with the first set, Houghton found the clutch two points it needed to take a two sets to zero lead.

A big run through the middle of the third set gave the Highlanders all the breathing room it needed to claim its most comfortable set win of the day by a 25-17 score and secure match point.

The Pioneers will return to the floor in a road match against Elmira on Wednesday, April 7th.