UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team beat the Keuka College Wolves 3-1 on Wednesday night. The win extended the team's win streak to four games and netted another conference win.
 
The first set was very even as there were 15 tie scores and six lead changes throughout the set. Every time there was a scoring run, the opposing team would answer and the set was hard fought by both teams. The offenses were tremendous as they each had three service aces while Keuka tallied 17 kills and Utica recorded 13. Keuka would lead 25-24 before the teams exchanged blows and outlasted the Pioneers 30-28 and won the first set to go up 1-0 in the match.
 
The Pioneers were able to flip the script in the second set and begin with a 5-1 lead thanks to Madison Maggiore's (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) serving ace and a Kurstan Martin (Owego, NY/Tioga) kill. Utica would find itself up 13-5 before Keuka would go on a 5-0 scoring run to close the gap to 13-10 courtesy of two service aces. Utica responded with a pair of service aces from Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) and a pair of kills from Brianna Woods (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) to gain a 20-12 advantage. The Pioneers were up 23-14 before Keuka's four-point run, yet Utica was able to finish the set strong and win it 25-18 and tie the match at 1-1.
 
The third set was back-and-forth to start as both teams had brief leads before Keuka opened an 8-4 advantage. The Pioneers would respond with a 7-0 scoring run as Cepiel had some fantastic serves to force the Wolves into errors. Utica continued to rely on its strong offense for points as McKenna LaPorte (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) contributed with some well-placed serves of her own and helped the team gain a 20-13 edge. The Pioneers were up 21-14 before the Wolves tied it, yet Utica's serving forced Keuka into errors and a block by Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and Martin sealed the 25-22 set victory and put the team up 2-1 in the match.
 
Keuka would control the first half of the set as it led for the first half of the set due to terrific serving. During the middle of the set, Utica cut the lead to slim, yet Keuka was able to hold on. The Wolves were up 18-15 before a six-point scoring run fueled by Cepeil's pair of aces and all-out defensive efforts by the Pioneers. Krystall Pappas seemed to hit the floor every serve and anchored the team's defense. Keuka held a 23-21 edge before Utica closed out the set on a small scoring run to win the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.
 
The entire unit contributed to the team's win as Cepiel (10), Woods (seven), and Martin (four) led the team in kills. Cepiel's serving was incredible as she had a season-high six service aces tonight. LaPorte and Maggiore each tallied a pair of service aces. The Pioneers had six blocks as Martin, Woods, and Abriana Wadley (Utica, NY/Proctor) all played massive roles defensively in shutting down the Keuka offense. LaPorte and Cepiel both had ten or more digs while Pappas eclipsed 20 and gave the offense a chance to get going.
 
Utica (12-6, 2-1, Empire 8) will travel to Elmira on Friday at 7 p.m. to continue the final stretch of Empire 8 regular season play.