UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team fell to Alfred 3-2 in a thrilling match that featured plenty of long rallies. Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) also became the all-time program leader with her 1,030th career kill which included a brief moment of celebration for her accomplishment.
 
Cepiel led the team with 14 kills while Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) (11) was also fantastic on the offensive end. Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) injected her energy into the attack and sported a season-high seven kills. Cepiel and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) led the Pioneers with four aces each while Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) added one.
 
Migliaccio was unstoppable defensively, registering a career-high seven blocks while Jones and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) each added five. The team's 12 blocks were the most in a match this season. Jones tallied 18 assists while Maggiore (11) and Cassi Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) (4) were also prime contributors. The trio of Cepiel, Wagemann, and Dahlia Aguilera (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) were dominant again with each recording double-digit digs and Aguliera setting a new career-high for the second consecutive outing.
 
The Pioneers offense was clicking early, grasping a quick 7-1 edge in set one. The team increased its lead to 13-5 before Alfred closed the gap to just 13-12. The teams continued to exchange points and Utica captured the first set 25-20 after forcing an error.
 
Utica came out strong again in set two with an 11-6 advantage before Alfred cut the deficit to just one. The team's each had a five-point run before the Saxons won set two with 25-22 win to tie the match at 1-1.
 
Set three featured a ton of early lead changes before Utica held a small 16-14 advantage. The set was tied 21-21 and then 23-23 before a Brennan kill sealed a 25-23 set win for Utica and the team took a 2-1 match lead.
 
The Saxons came out firing in set four with an 8-2 edge. Alfred's offense kept rolling and extended its edge to 21-10. Yet, Utica kept chipping away down the stretch however the Saxons won the set 25-17 to tie the match at 2-2.
 
Alfred opened up a 6-1 lead in set five yet a seven-point Pioneers run gave them an 8-6 advantage. The set was back and forth with an incredible 11 lead changes during the frame that resulted in the Saxons stealing the set 16-14 and winning the match 3-2.
 
Utica (13-10, 3-3 Empire 8) will hit the road to face SUNY Delhi on Tuesday, October 24 at 7 p.m.