UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team is set to host two important Empire 8 matches this week. The team will face Elmira College on Friday, October 20 at 7 p.m. on Senior Night and then host Alfred University on Saturday, October 21 at 2 p.m.
 
Follow Along: Those unable to attend either of the home matches can tune in for live video and/or live stats here.
 
Last Time Out: The team fell on the road to the Keuka College Wolves, 3-0, on Wednesday evening in Empire 8 action. Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) led the team with 12 kills on a .111 hitting percentage while adding 15 digs and a block to her line. She will enter the team's next match just 16 kills away from becoming the all-time program leader. Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) tallied five kills as well. Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) finished tied with a team high nine assists. Cassi Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) finished atop the team with 16 digs. Cepiel, Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) all totaled a block as well. As a team, the Pioneers totaled 22 kills on a -0.019 hitting percentage (24 errors) while the Wolves tallied 33 kills and hit .170 (15 errors). Keuka commanded the early stages of the first set, opening ahead 8-2. Utica rattled off five points in a row backed by a pair of Cepiel kills and a Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) ace to come within one at 8-7. However, the Wolves took off from there and would eventually climb ahead 21-11. A Cepiel Kill and Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) ace brought back some momentum for Utica but Keuka responded with four straight points to take the set. The second set proved to be much different as the Pioneers came out with a spark. Two Brennan kills and one by Cepiel, as well as some costly Keuka mistakes, aided Utica to a 6-1 lead. But the Wolves would not shy away. Down 8-5, the hosts went on a lengthy run to jump ahead 11-8 before eventually making it a 20-14 score. Utica fought right back, however. A 7-1 Pioneers' run evened the score at 21-21. Despite the momentum, the Wolves quickly denied Utica of evening the game at one set apiece by taking the final four points to go ahead 2-0. In the third set, Utica took the first point before the Wolves got the ball rolling. What started as a  4-1 Keuka advantage grew into a 19-8 lead before Utica ultimately fell in the set, 25-14, to end the contest. 
 
Honoring its Seniors: Prior to the start of the game, the team will hold a brief ceremony to honor its graduating seniors Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) and Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee).
 
Where We Stand: The Pioneers are sixth in the Empire 8 with a 2-2 conference record thus far with conference matches against Elmira College, Alfred University, St. John Fisher University, and Nazareth University remaining. Utica remains in the top half of the conference in points, hitting percentage, blocks, service aces. The Pioneers have stayed at the top of the conference in digs with 1,204 on the season averaging 16.96 per set. 
 
Coming for the Top: Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) is now just 16 kills away from becoming the all-time program leader with a total of 1,030. The graduate student has eclipsed that mark six times this season including 16 or more in five of her last seven matches. She is also still climbing the top-five all-time in career points and digs.
 
Ace, Ace Baby: Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) is also climbing the all-time program ranks as she is top-three in assists while ranking fifth all-time in service aces. The senior has accumulated 1,505 assists over her career and is just 22 assists away from having the second most in all-time program history. She has 153 total service aces which is six away from taking fourth place.
 
Empire 8 Leaders: Utica has a few athletes that rank in the top-10 of the Empire 8 in selective categories. Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) ranks sixth in the E8 with a .247 hitting percentage. Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) is third in the conference with 3.82 kills per set while Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) is tenth in service aces per set with .51. The Pioneers have both Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) in the top-nine each averaging more than .51 blocks per set. The duo of Cepiel and Cassi Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) both are top-seven in the conference each averaging more than 3.68 digs per set. Cepiel is also fourth in points in the Empire 8 averaging 4.19 points per set.
 
Scouting Elmira: The Soaring Eagles are 7-14 this season and 0-5 in Empire 8 play which has them ninth in the conference standings. In its last match on Saturday, October 14 the team fell 3-1 to Houghton University in an Empire 8 clash. The team has a balanced offensive attack with Maddie Boucher leading the team with 180 kills while Morgan Richardson and Makenna Clark each have at least 130 this season. Gabriela Rodriguez leads Elmira with 216 digs this season while Caroline Barr has 30 blocks this season to lead the team. 
 
Looking at Alfred: The Saxons are 7-9 this season with a 3-2 Empire 8 which is tied for fourth in the conference. The team beat Houghton University 3-0 on Friday, October 13 in its last match and will face Keuka College on Friday, October 20 before clashing with Utica on Saturday, October 21. Taylor Malone is a force on offense with 239 kills this season and 3.98 kills per set which ranks second in the Empire 8. Darian Ortiz leads the team with 196 digs this season while Jamie Chun is also very active defensively. Fiona McNeil leads the team with 22 blocks while Delaney Sims has recorded 19.
 
Up Next: The team will travel to face SUNY Delhi on Tuesday, October 24 at 7 p.m.