UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team returns home for a two game homestand this week. Utica is set to take on the St. John Fisher University Cardinals on Friday, October 25 at 7pm, before honoring the team's seniors on Saturday, October 26 at 1pm against Nazareth University. 
 
Follow Along: Live video for both games can be found here, and live stats for both games can be found here. 
 
Last Time Out: Leading the way for the Pioneers against SUNY Geneseo was Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community), who delivered 11 kills, followed by Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) with 7, while Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) added 2 each. Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) facilitated the offense, recording 16 assists. At the service line, Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) each added one ace, with Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) chipping in another. On defense, Wright led with 14 digs, followed by Samara Hunt (Fultonville, NY/Fonda-Fultonville Central) with 10. At the net, Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) recorded a solo block, while Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) and Migliaccio provided key block assists.
 
Senior Day: Prior to Saturday's matchup the team will honor its three seniors: Cailtyn Esposito, Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern), and Cassandra Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George). 
 
Where We Stand: With four conference games remaining, the Pioneers are currently chasing one of the final two spots in the eight-team Empire 8 Conference Tournament. Utica is one of the best defensive teams in the conference, leading the conference in digs with 1074 and averaging 17.90 digs per set. Utica has also allowed the second least service aces in the conference, only allowing 100 aces to opponents for an average of 1.46. 
 
Freshman Firecrackers: Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), a Pioneer newcomer, has dazzled in her debut season for the Orange and Blue. The Utica rookie has seen the court often and has stacked up 59 kills in her first 12 matches as part of the program. This past week, Hanba played five sets against tough conference opponents in Brockport and Geneseo. Despite the high level of competition, Hanba understood the assignment, slamming down 19 kills and recording 3.8 kills per set during the 2-game weekend. Hanba is currently fifth on the team in total kills and third on the team in kills per set, excellent marks for a first-year Pioneer. Freshman setter Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) exploded in last week's outings for the Pioneers, recording her season high 31 assists against Brockport, and following that up with 16 assists against Geneseo. 
 
Defense Mechanisms: Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) has maintained her dominance at the top of the Empire 8 Conference leaderboard in digs. Wright has been in the top two in the conference in that category all season. Wright has currently notched 289 digs this season, averaging 4.82 digs per set. 
 
Scouting Fisher: The St. John Fisher University Cardinals are 12-7 overall so far this season, and are 5-1 in Empire 8 Conference play. Kaylene Noble has been bringing the house down for the Cardinals, notching 228 kills so far this season. Reilly Morrow has been the team's helping hand, dishing out 441 assists on the season. At the service line, Morrow has recorded a team high 34 services aces. On defense, Kiera Hartpence has been the team's top ball-getter tallying 303 digs and averaging 4.21 digs per set. At the net, Ana Gutman has been the team's top blocker, recording 35 total blocks this season on 12 solo and 23 assisted blocks. The last time Utica and Fisher met was last season, where Fisher walked away with the win by a score of 3-0. 
 
Looking at Naz: The Nazareth University Golden Flyers have posted an 11-8 record so far this season and are undefeated in Empire 8 Conference play at 6-0. Leah Fusilli has brought down 151 kills for the Golden Flyers this season. Ella Kules has been the team's helping hand, recording 386 assists on the season. At the service line, Kules has recorded a team high 31 service aces. On defense, Fusilli has recorded 187 digs for the Golden Flyers, averaging 2.79 digs per set. At the net, Alana Lucey has recorded 56 total blocks comprising 17 solo and 39 assisted blocks. Last season, the Pioneers and the Golden Flyers met on the same weekend, with Nazareth taking the matchup by a score of 3-1. 

Up Next: Utica goes on a three game road trip that begins by taking on the Keuka College Wolves. Game time on Friday, November 1 in Keuka Park, NY is set for 6pm.