UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's volleyball team dominated the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Trailblazers in straight sets, 3-0 this afternoon. 
 
Leading the charge for the Pioneer offense was Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug), who recorded a team high seven kills in the contest. Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) recorded six kills. At the service line, Bailey recorded three aces, Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) recorded two, and Cassandra Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) recorded one. On defense, Wagemann recorded 19 digs, Samara Hunt (Fultonville, NY/Fonda-Fultonville Central) recorded six, and Liv Leider (Homestead, FL/Felix Varela) tallied five. 
 
In the opening frame, it was the Trailblazers that found themselves with momentum jumping out to a 7-2 lead early. Utica would go on to win back to back points to bring the score within three on a kill from Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and a kill from Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South). MCLA would then find themselves amidst a six-point run to bring the score to 13-4. The Pioneers would swing the momentum back to their favor, and would begin crawling back trading blows before going on a seven-point run that would begin with Wagemann at the service line for six of the seven Utica points. A bad set from MCLA and a pair of attack errors, followed by a kill from Anthony, Bailey, Brennan, and an ace from Wagemann would knot the score at 20. MCLA would go up in the set 22-20 before the Pioneers would go on another four-point run to bring the score 24-22 before closing out the opening frame on a kill from Anthony, 25-23. 
 
To open the second set, both teams would trade blows before knotting the score at seven apiece. Utica would go on a three-point run on a kill from Brennan, a kill from Anthony and a bad set by the Trailblazers to go up in the set 9-7. From there it was all gas, no brakes for the Pioneers after trading blows with the Trailblazers. Utica would go on two six-point runs to completely overwhelm the MCLA offense, closing out the middle frame 25-13. 
 
The third set was a back and forth battle, opening with both teams trading blows before knotting the score at four. Utica would win back to back point twice before going on a five-point run on a kills from Migliaccio, a kill from Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community), and a pair of service aces from Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) to bring the score to 12-7. Both teams would continue to battle back and forth before the Pioneers would be able to break it open and close out the set 25-20. 
 
Utica (2-2, 0-0 Empire 8) will return to action on September 18 as the team travels to Schenectady, NY to take on the Union College Garnet Chargers. Game time is set for 7p.m.