ERIE, PA - The Utica University volleyball team wrapped up day one of the Penn State Behrend Invitational on Friday night. The team fell to Grove City College 3-0 before suffering a 3-0 loss to Westminster College. 
 
Grove City 3, Utica 0
 
Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) led the team with five kills while Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) (3) and Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) (2) were also key parts in the team's offense. Utica had a trio of players dishing out assists as Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) had 29 while Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) (5) and Cassi Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) (2) were also contributing. Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) had the team's lone ace while Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) led the defense with 14 digs. Samantha Albright (Lockport, NY/Royalton Hartland) and Abriana Wadley (Utica, NY/Proctor) were also active defensively, each collecting at least six digs. Wadley and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) each had one block in the contest.
 
Grove City took a commanding 9-1 lead in the first set before Utica rallied a three-point run. The Pioneers continued to battle, yet the Wolverines offense was too much and they took the set 25-7.
 
The Utica offense started off set two hot with a pair of kills to grab an early 4-2 lead. The teams exchanged points and the Pioneers used a three-point run to be down just 13-12. Grove City gained late momentum scoring seven of the final eight points to capture the set 25-15.
 
The third set saw the teams exchange points yet again as a Wadley kill had the score knotted 4-4. Yet Grove City's offense took command and opened a 12-5 lead yet Utica remained within striking distance until eventually falling 25-15.
 
Westminster 3, Utica 0 
 
The Pioneers were led by Eleanor Cepiel's (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) eight kills while teammates Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) had four each. Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) had a solid outing as well with 14 assists and 11 digs. Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) led Utica with a pair of aces and Cepiel added to her line with one ace and nine digs. Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) also had 10 digs in the contest. 
 
In the first set, Westminster came out red hot with a 13-1 advantage which eventually turned into a 20-2 lead. While the likes of Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern), Hannah Johnson (Murfreesboro, TN/Blackman) and Madison Maggiore (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee) helped the Pioneers close the gap to 22-12, Westminster took the final three points via kills to close it out. 
 
The Pioneers took momentum into the second and either led or had a share of the lead through much of the set. However, trailing 15-9, Westminster went on a 10-1 run thanks to a share of offensive attack and Utica defensive mishaps. The Titans would go on to take the second set 25-19 for a comfortable 2-0 edge. 
 
While the Pioneers gave tremendous fight in the third, Westminster held advantage all throughout what would be the final set of the evening. Utica trailed from the first point on and despite coming within six points at 21-15, the Titans closed the deal with a 25-16 set win to take the match. 
 
Utica (3-3, 0-0 Empire 8) will compete in day two of the Penn State Behrend Invitational on Saturday starting with an 11 a.m. match against Penn State Behrend.