POTSDAM, NY - The Utica University volleyball team displayed some promising performances, and found the win column once in a pair of matches at the North Country Invitational hosted by SUNY Potsdam. The Pioneers lost by a 3-1 score to the host Bears, and by a 3-0 count to Hilbert at Potsdam's Maxcy Hall gymnasium. The split put Utica at a record of 4-3 to start the season. 

The team's next match will take place on Wednesday, September 14th at Cazenovia College. 

Game One: Potsdam 3, Utica 1
Utica showed resilience by winning the third set to keep a straight set loss at bay, but the Pioneers went on to drop a 3-1 decision at the hands of host Potsdam to open Saturday action. 

The Pioneers were led by an impressive five ace performance from Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham ), part of an impressive fourteen total service aces in the match for the team. Brenna Stanton (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) added three, and McKenna LaPorte (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) had two of her own while also piling up nineteen digs. 

The Pioneers attacked at a solid 10.1 percent, with Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) snagging thirteen kills to go with fourteen digs. Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug ) tacked on seven, and Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) added on five to go with a pair of blocks. Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) totaled 26 assists. 

Potsdam was led by Marley Hawthorne, who had 29 digs and four aces, Jessica Ader, who had 17 kills, and Marissa Wagoner, who had four blocks. 

Game Two: Utica 3, Hilbert 0. 
The Pioneers held a sizable advantage in hitting percentage at 19.8 percent, and served up another thirteen aces, and converted those advantages into a four set win. 

Maggiore totaled a team-high six aces in the match to go with her team-best 29 assists. Jones secured five service aces, while Laporte picked up three. Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) picked up twelve kills and eight digs over the course of the match. Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug ) totaled nine kills.

Hilbert was led by eight kills from Jenna Rivak, with Maria Spinelli scoring another six. Katie Kociszewski totaled five blocks.