UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team fell in a conference match to the Houghton University Highlanders at home Saturday afternoon by a score of 3-0.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was
Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) who tallied seven kills in the contest.
Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) was not far behind with six and
Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) with four. Dishing out the assists was
Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) with 18,
Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) with four and
Cassandra Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) with two. At the service line, Jones was the only Pioneer to record an ace. On defense, Wright led the team with 15 digs, Wagemann recorded 11 and Jones recorded nine. At the net,
Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) recorded a solo block and two assists, Jones recorded two assists, and Migliaccio recorded one.
The opening frame would see the teams trade blows before Utica would put together a trio of points highlighted by kills from Hanba, Bailey, and Anthony to go ahead in the set at 4-3. The teams would then trade two for one points to take the set to 13-10 in favor of the Pioneers. Houhgton would then put together a four point run to take the lead in the set at 14-13. The Pioneers would match that with a four point run of their own highlighted by a trio of Highlander errors and a kill by Anthony to take back the lead at 17-14. Houghton would then put together a 10 point run to put the set out of Pioneer reach, walking away with set one 25-17.
The second set would see Houghton jump out to an early 3-0 lead before the Pioneers would put together a four point run on a slew of Highlander attacking errors to go up in the set at 4-3. Both teams would then exchange blows before Houghton would put together a four point run to go up in the set at 9-8. Utica would then take back to back points before another multi-point run by the Highlanders to put them up in the set at 12-10. The teams would trade back to back points before Utica would put together a four point run, capitalizing on another slew of Highlander errors to go ahead in the set at 16-14. Utica would then find themselves amidst another multi-point run late in the set, highlighted by a pair of kills from Migliaccio, a kill from Wright, and a pair of Houghton errors to expand the Pioneer lead at 21-16. Houghton would match the Pioneers effort with a run of its own to knot the set at 21 a piece. The Pioneers would be unable to hang on as Houghton would walk away with the second set by a score of 25-23.
The final frame would see both teams trade back to back points to open the set before trading blows and knotting at six a piece. Utica would then string together a trio of points on a pair of kills from Wright and a Highlander error before trading blows once again. The Pioneers would go on another trio of points with a kill from Bailey, an ace from Jones, and a Houghton error to go ahead in the set at 13-8. Houghton would then go on a seven point run to take the lead in the set at 15-13. The teams would continue to trade blows, but it would be the Highlanders that would prevail, walking away with the set at 25-22.
Utica (5-10, 1-4 Empire 8) travels to take on Empire 8 Conference newcomer SUNY Brockport on Friday, October 18. Game time in Brockport, NY is set for 6pm.
