UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team is set to wrap up its final week of the regular season with two matches this week. The team will make the short trip to face SUNY Poly on Wednesday, November 1 at 7 p.m. before hosting SUNY Cobleskill on Thursday, November 2 at 7 p.m.
 
Follow Along: Poly will provide live video here and live stats here. Those unable to attend Thursday's home match can tune in for live video and/or stats here.
 
Last Time Out: The team fell 3-1 to the Nazareth University Golden Flyers in its final Empire 8 Conference matchup of the regular season. Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) had another fantastic performance racking up 19 kills to lead the team while Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) (7), and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) (5) were also important offensive factors. Jones led the team with 19 assists while Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) (10), and Cassi Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) (5) were also helping set up the offense. Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) had two service aces with Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) tacking on one. The trio of Jones, Anthony, and Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) each had two blocks and were key defenders. The duo of Wagemann and Cepiel continued to dominate defensively with each amassing 14 or more kills on the afternoon. Nazareth would pull out to a 4-0 lead early in the first set. The Pioneers would begin to battle back, cutting into the Nazareth lead after a pair of kills from Abriana Wadley (Utica, NY/Proctor), one from Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug), to come within one at 6-7. Utica's offensive efforts would not be enough as Nazareth would walk away with the first set, 25-14. The second set would prove to be a back-and-forth battle for the Pioneers; each side would trade blows before Utica would come ahead in the set at 13-9. Nazareth would then cut the Utica lead in half after some back-and-forth action, tying the set at 19 apiece. Utica would not be able to hold on through the end, as Nazareth would walk away with set two 25-22, putting them up in the match 2-0. Entering the third set down 2-0 in the match, the Pioneer offense would trade blows with the Golden Flyers tying the set at 7 apiece before tightening the reins and pulling out to a 13-7 lead. The Pioneers would hold onto the offensive momentum, not allowing the Golden Flyers to cut into the Utica lead by more than three, walking away with the third set 25-20 to get on the board in the match down 2-1. The final set was all gas, no brakes for the Golden Flyer offense, as Nazareth would go up in the set 14-5. Both teams would trade blows, but the early Nazareth lead was enough to overwhelm the Pioneers, and the Golden Flyers would walk away with the set 25-14 and win the match 3-1.
 
Where We Stand: The team currently sits at 14-12 and has finished conference play with a 3-5 record which has clinched the six seed in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. Utica ranks in the top half of the conference in hitting percentage, blocks, service aces, and remains the top team in digs averaging 16.38 per set. 
 
E8 Ranks: Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) continues to be a force offensively with her 303 kills ranking fourth in the Empire 8. The serving duo of Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) and Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) has been strong all season with each amassing at least 41 service aces and .48 aces per set, good enough to be tied with each other for eighth in the E8. Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) are two of the premier blockers in the league, each ranking in the top-10 with at least 34 blocks and at least .55 blocks per set. The tandem of Cepiel and Cassi Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) has shined defensively all season long with each amassing over 275 digs this season and over 3.62 digs per set which is top-seven in the conference.
 
Cleaning Up: Libero Cassi Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) has performed well all season and is in the midst of a strong defensive stretch recording 12 or more kills in seven of her last eight matches. She has done especially well in Empire 8 matches as she recorded 15 digs against Nazareth University and then 16 against St. John Fisher University this past week. 
 
Killin' It: The Pioneers offense has started to heat up with the team's 44 kills against Nazareth being tied for the third most the team has recorded this season. The offensive tandem of Cepiel, Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug), and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) have led the way. Cepiel tallied 41 kills over the three matches last week with Brennan racking up 16 kills and has recorded five or more kills in seven of her last eight outings. Jones is third on the squad with 117 kills this season and has amassed five or more kills in three of her last five appearances. 
 
Scouting Poly: The Wildcats are 2-23 this season and did not qualify for the NAC Postseason Tournament. The team fell 3-0 to SUNY Delhi in its last match on Sunday, September 29. Brennah Durfee leads the offensive attack with 112 kills this season while Ryan Fitzgerald and Samantha Dee are two more viable options with each having more than 75 kills this season. Meghan Peek leads the way defensively with 287 digs with Durfee, Fitzgerlad, and Dee all boasting more than 179 digs thus far. Kierra Connor is the team's top interior defender with 15 blocks. 
 
Cobleskill Preview: The Fighting Tigers sport a 12-14 overall record and are 5-5 in NAC play this season. The team beat SUNY Canton 3-2 in its last match on Saturday, October 28 to collect another conference victory. Alexis Miranda is fantastic with 351 kills which is second in the conference with Emma Hinze and Kathleen Smart also being key contributors. Hinze and Lydia McDonough are two strong servers with each boasting at least 44 service aces. McDonough is the team's top defender with an incredible 364 digs with Hinze and Smart each racking up more than 168. Miranda is also the conference's top blocker with a phenomenal 72 which is 21 more than any other player.
 
Up Next: The team will travel to face Keuka College in the first round of the Empire 8 Tournament on Tuesday, November 7 with the time to be determined.