UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team fell to the St. John Fisher Cardinals in an Empire 8 Conference matchup on Friday evening by a score of 3-0.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was
Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) who recorded five kills, followed by
Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) who recorded four and
Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) recorded two.
Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) and
Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) each dished out five assists. At the service line, Wright, Anthony and
Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) each recorded one service ace. On defense,
Samara Hunt (Fultonville, NY/Fonda-Fultonville Central) recorded eight digs,
Cassandra Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) recorded six and both
Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) and Ancewicz recorded five. At the net,
Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) and Bailey each assisted on a block.
The opening set would see both teams trade points before knotting at four a side. Utica would allow a pair of kills before putting together a trio of points on a kill from Wright, an ace from Bailey and a Fisher error to take the lead at 7-6. Fisher would respond with a trio of points of its own before going on a 11-point run to go ahead in the ser at 21-8. Utica would try to come back into the set stealing two pairs of points, but it would be Fisher that would walk away with the opening frame 25-13.
The middle frame would see Fisher jump out to an early 4-0 lead before Utica would get on the board capitalizing on a Fisher error. The teams would trade points before the Pioneers would allow the Cardinals a four point run to go ahead in the set at 9-2. The teams would then trade trios of points before Utica would find itself able to break it up at 16-8. Fisher would go on another multi-point run to put the set out of Pioneer reach and take the middle frame 25-13.
The final frame would begin a highly contested set with both teams trading blows after long rallies to tie the set at five a piece. Fisher would then be able to come away with three pairs of points to go ahead in the set at 11-7. The Pioneers would then be unable to find their footing, allowing another monster Cardinal run to put them ahead in the set at 19-8. Utica once again would attempt to get back in the set, with a pair of attacking errors by the Cardinals, but would come up short in the set, falling 25-12.
Utica (5-13, 1-7 Empire 8) returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, October 26 as the team honors its seniors as part of Utica University Homecoming. Game time from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 1pm.
