OSWEGO, NY - The Utica University women's volleyball team defeated the Hilbert College Hawks by a score of 3-1 before falling to the Penn State Behrend Lions by a score of 3-1 on Friday evening. 
 
Utica, 3 Hilbert 1
 
Leading the way for the Pioneers was Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) who tallied 14 kills in the contest, followed by Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) with nine, and Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), who led the team with a .500 hitting percentage, with six. Lending a helping hand with the attack was Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) who notched 37 assists.  At the service line, Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) and Jones each recorded two aces. One defense Wright and Cassandra Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) were neck and neck digging for the ball tallying 26 and 25 digs, respectively. Esposito and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) each recorded two blocks on the evening. 
 
In the opening frame, Utica was able to jump out to an early 5-2 lead highlighted by a kill from Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) and Brennan. Hilbert would then bring themselves back into the contest with a pair of kills and a Utica attacking error to knot the score at six. Both teams would then trade three-point runs, before knotting again at nine each. Hilbert would jump ahead by two, a lead which it would hold onto until 18-16 when the Pioneers would find themselves with the momentum to put together a four-point run highlighted by kills from both Wright and Anthony to go ahead by two at 20-18. The Hawks would scrounge up a point, before the Pioneers would go on to close out the set after another multi-point run on kills from Esposito and Jones before she would end the set for Utica with a service ace, 25-19. 
 
The second set would see both teams trade blows before Utica would jump out 5-2 after a four-point run on back to back kills from Esposito and a kill from Hanba. Errors on both sides would allow Utica to double its lead, jumping ahead to 7-3. Hilbert would then string together a trio of points to get back into the set 7-6 before the Pioneers would go on a four-point run highlighted by a trio of kills from Hanba at 11-6. The teams would then trade blows before the Hawks would gain momentum putting together a four-point run to gain the lead at 17-16. Hilbert would hold onto the lead, putting together another multi-point run to gain the edge in the set at 24-20 before closing out the set at 25-21. 
 
The third frame was all gas no brakes for the Pioneers as the team would put together seven multi-point runs. Hilbert would jump out to an early 4-1 lead before allowing Utica to come back into the set at 4-3. The Pioneers would then go on a three-point run to take the lead for the first time in the frame at 7-6, a lead which they would hold onto for the remainder of the frame. Utica would then go on two, three-point runs to extend the lead to 13-9. Hilbert would then swing the momentum back into its favor by putting together a three point run of its own to come within one at 13-12. The teams would continue to trade blows, putting together a string of back to back points and three-point runs before knotting at 18 a side. The Pioneers would then be able to jump out to a 23-18 lead on a five-point run highlighted by a slew of errors by the Hawks. Both teams would trade blows before Wright would wrap it up with a bow, closing it out at 25-20. 
 
The fourth frame would be much like the third with the momentum favoring the Pioneers. Both sides would trade blows early before knitting at four apiece. Utica would give up a point before taking back the lead at 6-5 on kills from Bailey and Hanba. The teams would trade blows before knotting again at eight a side. Hilbert would swing the momentum back in its favor putting together a three-point run to take back the lead at 11-8. Utica then put together a solid six-point run highlighted by kills from Wright and Esposito and an ace from Jones to go ahead at 15-12. The teams would trade blows before Hilbert would allow Utica to close out the set, and the game, with a four-point run highlighted by an ace from Anthony and a kill by Esposito, 25-18. 
 
Utica, 1 Penn State Behrend, 3
 
The Pioneer offense was led by Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) with 14 kills, followed by Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) with nine and Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) with seven. At the service line, Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) recorded five aces, while Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) and Cassandra Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) each recorded one. On defense Wright recorded 18 digs, Wagemann recorded 13 and Liv Leider (Homestead, FL/Felix Varela) recorded 11. Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) tallied three blocks on the night, while Jones recorded two, and Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) tallied one of her own. 
 
The opening frame saw Penn State jump out to 3-0 before Utica was able to put a four-point run together on a kill from Bailey, and two service aces by Jones to take the lead at 4-3. The teams would trade points back and forth before the Pioneers would put together a five-point run highlighted by back to back kills by Wright, a kill by Esposito, and a pair of Lions errors to go ahead in the set 13-10. Penn State would then put together a four-point run of its own to knot the score at 15 apiece. The teams would trade blows before Utica would be able to bring the momentum back, putting together a three point run on kills from Anthony and Wright to put them in a position to close out the set. The Pioneers would hold on after trading blows to end the set with a 25-20 win. 
 
The second set would see the momentum swing in the favor of the Lions who would jump out to an early 4-0 lead, which they would hold onto for the entirety of the set. The teams would trade blows before allowing another multi-point run for the Lions to go ahead at 9-3. The Pioneers would attempt to make a comeback with a slew of kills from Wright, Eposito, and Anthony, but the offensive efforts would not be enough as Penn State would close out the set 25-16. 
 
The third frame would prove to be a battle from behind for the Pioneers as the Lions would jump out to an early 6-0 lead. Utica would put together a trio of back to back points to get back into contention at 11-9. The teams would trade blows before Utica would finally be able to pull the momentum back on a four-point run highlighted by kills from Katie Mattes (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs), Bailey and Brennan to take the lead at 15-14. The Lions would quickly take those points, and then some, back putting together a six-point run on a pair of aces and Pioneer attacking errors to go ahead at 20-15. The Pioneers would attempt to come from behind again, but the offensive efforts would not bear fruit as the Lions would close out the set 25-20. 
 
The final frame would see both teams putting forth valiant offensive efforts, trading blows and stringing together points, but no team was able to get momentum in its favor until the score was knotted at 13 a side. Utica would go on a three-point run on a slew of Lions errors to go ahead in the set at 16-14. Penn State would be quick to avenge its misfortunes putting together a seven-point run on attacking errors by the Pioneers, going up in the frame 21-16. Utica would be able to put another multi-point run under its belt on back to back kills from Wright and a pair of aces from Jones, but the Pioneers would ultimately fall short with the Lions closing out the frame, and the game 25-22. 
 
Utica (3-4, 0-0 Empire 8) returns to action tomorrow Saturday, September 21 in Oswego, NY to take on day two of the Oswego Classic. Game one against SUNY Morrisville is slated for 4:00pm and game two against the host Oswego is slated for 6:00pm.