UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's volleyball team won 3-1 against SUNY Delhi on Tuesday night in non-conference play. The win was the team's 15th of the season and sets a program record that had stood for 20 years.
 
The first set saw many lead changes before the Pioneers grasped a 10-8 lead. The teams continued to exchange leads before Utica opened a 15-13 advantage, yet three straight kills put the Broncos ahead. The Pioneers held a brief 23-21 edge, yet the set would be tied 24-24 before Delhi edged out a 26-24 set win and led 1-0 in the match.
 
Utica stormed out of the gates with a 4-1 advantage as Madison Maggiore's (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) serving fueled the run. The Pioneers' offense was clicking and the team pushed the gas as Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) and Kurstan Martin (Owego, NY/Tioga) recorded multiple kills. Utica had a 19-11 advantage when Delhi went on a three-point scoring run, yet Utica was able to keep its offense firing and won the set 25-18 off a beautiful kill by Cepiel to tie the match at 1-1.
 
The Broncos started the third set up 3-0 before Utica was able to even the score off another Cepiel kill. The Pioneers' offense was rolling as the team was up 15-10 via a Martin kill and stellar serving by Krystell Pappas (Owensboro, KY/Owensboro). Utica led 16-14 before ending the set on a ridiculous nine-point scoring run to win the set 25-14 and gain a 2-1 advantage in the match.
 
Delhi led 5-2 in the fourth set before the Pioneer offense started to get going and Utica grabbed an 8-7 edge courtesy of two more kills by Cepiel. Kills by Brianna Woods (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) and Martin increased the edge to 15-10, yet Delhi was relentless and kept the set close. Utica was able to finally close out the set and win 25-21 and win the match 3-1.
 
Tonight was a record-breaking night for the program and for Cepiel and Maggiore. Cepiel totaled an outstanding 20 kills which were a career-high and she is also now the program single-season kills leader with 336 and counting. Maggiore tallied 37 assists which places her fifth all-time on the Pioneer single-season assist leaders. Maggiore also is closing in on the first place single-season record in assists per set. 
 
Martin and Woods continued their heavy hitting and the duo combined for 20 kills on the night. Pappas and Cepiel tallied an assist while Maggiore recorded three and is climbing the single-season service ace leaderboard. The trio of McKenna LaPorte (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse), Pappas, and Cepiel continue their dominance as they have all recorded ten or more kills in back to back matches.
 
Utica (15-11, 4-5 Empire 8) will cap off its regular season as the team hosts Cazenovia College on Thursday at 7 p.m.