COBLESKILL, NY - The Utica University volleyball team shook off its home opening loss on Tuesday with its third road win in as many chances at SUNY Cobleskill on Wednesday night. The Pioneers defeated the Fighting Tigers in four sets, 3-1. 
 
Utica started the match with a 7-1 lead in the first set and never looked back. While Cobleskill drew closer at 15-11, the Pioneers closed the set on a 10-3 run for a 25-14 win. The Fighting Tigers responded with a 25-21 win in the second set however to draw even at 1-1 entering the third. 
 
Cobleskill kept its momentum from the second set through the early stages of the third with an early 5-4 lead. Utica regrouped to take the next seven points while eventually taking a 21-10 lead. Kills by Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham ) and Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) gave the Pioneers a 23-12 edge before Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) recorded the final two kills to take set three, 25-15. 
 
Utica held the advantage through much of the fourth set as the team grew a 16-13 lead without ever trailing. The Tigers wouldn't go down quietly as the home team took the next five points and eight of the next ten for a 21-18 lead. Three straight attack errors by the Tigers evened the score at 21 all while Cobleskill took the next point to lead 22-21. Another attack error by Cobleskill and a kill by Kurstan Martin (Owego, NY/Tioga) gave Utica a 23-22 lead while Cobleskill took the next point looking to threaten a fifth set. 
 
The Pioneers denied the Tigers the chance of extending the match with a ball handling error and a service ace by Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) to take the set 25-23 and the win, 3-1. 
 
Cepiel led Utica with 18 kills on 20.8 percent hitting while Martin totaled 13 kills on 56.5 percent and Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) six kills on 25 percent. Maggiore accounted for 37 of the team's 45 assists as well as a team-high three aces. On defense, Krystell Pappas (Owensboro, KY/Owensboro) totaled 16 digs followed by 15 from Cepiel and nine from McKenna LaPorte (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse). Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham ), Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South ), Cepiel and Migliaccio each had a block assist. 
 
Utica (3-1, 0-0 Empire 8) will travel to Potsdam, NY on Friday and Saturday for the North County Classic at SUNY Potsdam. On Friday, the Pioneers will take on Pratt Institute at 5 p.m. before taking on Elmira College at 7 p.m. in non-conference action.