UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team beat the Alfred University Saxons 3-0 early Saturday afternoon. The win was the team's 13th this season and now puts them one win shy of tying the program record that was set in 2002.
 
Alfred would begin the first set up 5-2 courtesy of Jamie Chun's serving. Yet, the Pioneers would tie the set as Brianna Woods (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) and Abriana Wadley (Utica, NY/Proctor) were able to block a Saxon kill attempt. Alfred would gain a 9-6 edge before Utica would storm back and regain an 11-8 advantage. During the run, Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) would record a pair of kills and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham ) tallied a pair of service aces. The Pioneers would rely on its strong offensive attack as a pair of kills from Brianna Woods (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) and two Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) service aces created a 10-point lead for the team. Utica would win the first set 25-17 after a Maggiore kill and start the match up 1-0.
 
Utica's offense remained hot as the team started the second set up 4-2 as Cepiel and Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) each recorded a kill. The Saxons would tie the set and then open a 7-4 lead. Some timely serving by Alfred produced a 12-8 Saxon advantage. Utica would tie the set at 12-12, yet Alfred went on another scoring run to hold an 18-14 edge. The Pioneers tied the set at 18-18 as the offense produced three straight kills during its scoring run. The Utica offense kept firing and won the set 25-21 and took a 2-0 match advantage into the third set.
 
The Pioneer's offense continued to attack and three kills generated a 4-0 lead beginning the third set. The offense continued to be set up terrifically and convert opportunities into points which turned into an 11-5 advantage. Utica's offense continued to produce points and cruised to a 20-13 edge. The Saxons would cut into the lead, yet the Pioneers would win the set 25-17 and win the match 3-0.
 
The offense was clicking for the Pioneers as they netted 38 kills. Cepiel led the team with 14 kills and was followed by Woods with eight and Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug ) with five. The team's serving was phenomenal as Maggiore, Cepiel, and Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) all recorded two or more service aces. Defensively, Woods, Wadley, and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham ) each netted a pair of blocks and were the front line of the Pioneer defense. Utica's defense played well as McKenna LaPorte (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse), Krystell Pappas (Owensboro, KY/Owensboro), and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham ) all tallied more than 10 digs this afternoon.
 
Utica (13-7, 3-2 Empire 8) will travel to face off with the Houghton University Highlanders on Friday, October 14th at 7 p.m. and continue Empire 8 play.