UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team beat Elmira College 3-1 in an Empire 8 battle on Friday night to collect an important conference win. The team also honored its seniors Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) and Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) before the game with a brief ceremony.
 
Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) led the team with 11 kills while Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) (7) and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) (6) were also very important pieces of the team's attack. Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) tallied four service aces with Cepiel and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) adding one. Brennan led Utica with two blocks and Abriana Wadley (Utica, NY/Proctor) and Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) also were key on the defensive end, each recording one.
 
Maggiore led Utica with 14 assists while Jones (9) and Dahlia Aguilera (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) (4) were also setting up the offense all night long. The trio of Cepiel, Cassi Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George), and Aguilera each recorded at least seven digs and helped turn defense into offense. Aguilera's four assists and seven digs were career-highs, and she was a force in the team's win. 
 
Utica began set one up 3-2 before Elmira grabbed a 6-3 lead. Yet, the Pioneer offense started to pick up, opening a 19-15 advantage after the set was tied multiple times in the early stages. Elmira used a five point-run to hold a 23-21 edge, yet Utica used a crucial four-point run to win the set by forcing Elmira into multiple errors and hold a 1-0 set advantage.
 
The Pioneers offense did not slow down as the team held a 5-0 lead to begin set two. However, Elmira bounced back to take a 10-6 advantage before Utica used an 11-point run to grab a commanding 17-10 lead. The Pioneers offense continued to be lights out and the team won the set 25-17 and grabbed a 2-0 lead.
 
The teams exchanged blows to begin the third set, yet the Soaring Eagles used a pair of five-point runs to jump out to a firm 15-7 lead. Utica continued to chip away at the lead, yet Elmira kept its offense rolling with a 25-15 set win and cut the match lead to 2-1.
 
Set four was fantastic, featuring plenty of long-winded rallies and plenty of lead changes between the two teams. Utica held a slim 6-5 edge before increasing its lead to 12-9. But Elmira would keep the majority of the set close and knot the score at 12-12. The teams continued to exchange short leads with the set being tied 22-22. A Brennan kill sealed the 25-22 set victory and secured the 3-1 match victory.
 
Utica (13-9, 3-2 Empire 8) will remain home and host Alfred University on Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m.