SCHENECTADY, NY - The Utica University volleyball team fell to the Union College Garnet Chargers in a hard fought battle Wednesday evening by a score of 3-0.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) who tallied 11 kills in the contest. Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) recorded six and Cailtlyn Esposito notched five. Assisting on those kills was Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham), who recorded 23 assists on the night. At the service line, Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) recorded three aces, Wright recorded two, and Brennan recorded one. At the net, the Pioneers were a brick wall, notching eight blocks. Esposito notched two solo blocks and three assists with Brennan tallying both a solo block and an assist. Bailey, Wright, and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) each also assisted on a block. On defense, Cassandra Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) led the way with 17 digs, followed by Wright who notched 14 and Jones who recorded 10.
The opening frame was a constant back and forth for both teams. Neither team would be able to get out to more than a four point lead in the set, until the end when Union would close it out at 25-20. The teams would open the frame trading blows before knotting at five a piece. Utica would then be able to jump out by two on a kill from Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) and a Union attack error to make the score 7-5. Utica would be able to hold onto the lead until 11-9 where Union was able to go on a three-point run to take the lead at 12-11. Both teams would trade blows until knotting at 15 when Union would go on a four-point run to get ahead in the set at 19-15. The Pioneers would try to fight tooth and nail to get back in it, but Union would ultimately close out the set 25-20.
The second set was a back and forth battle to knot the score at three a side before Union would jump out to a two-point lead at 5-3, a lead they would hold onto all the way through the set. Utica would come within one on the next point on a Union attack error, before allowing Union to go on a five-point run to go up in the set 10-4. The Pioneers would follow that up with a five point run of their own highlighted by Trinity Bailey's (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) service aces to come within one at 9-10. That one point would ultimately lead to the demise of the Pioneers in the second frame as the Pioneers would go on to give up another six-point run to Union to bring the score to 18-10. Both teams would trade back and forth before the momentum swung back into Utica's favor, allowing the Pioneers to go on a five-point run at the end of the set highlighted by a trio of attacking errors by the Garnet Chargers to bring the set to 18-23. Union would then be able to close out the set at 25-18.
In the third frame was a series of long rallies and heartbreaking lost points for the Pioneers. The set would see five lead changes, most of which would come early on in the set, as both teams would trade blows before knotting at three. Utica would then be able to jump out to 5-3 after capitalizing on attacking errors by Union. Utica would be able to hold onto its lead after trading blows, and picking up a trio of back to back points to get ahead at 18-13. Union would then be able to go on a five-point run to get back in the set on four Utica attacking errors and a kill from Shannon McGrath to knot the set at 18 apiece. The Pioneers would then snag back to back points on kills from Wright and Brennan, before allowing another five-point run for the Garnet Chargers to put them up in the set 23-20. Utica would win the next two points on kills from Wright and Brennan once again before Union would close out the set at 25-22.
Utica (2-3, 0-0 Empire 8) travels to Oswego, NY to take on the Oswego State Classic Tournament on Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21.
