UTICA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team took down the visiting Keuka College Wolves in straight sets by a score of 3-0 on Friday evening. 

With tonight's win, the Pioneers have clinched a berth into the 2025 Empire 8 Conference Volleyball tournament. More information regarding the playoff will be released once it is available.  

Leading the way for the Pioneers was Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham), whose 11 kills and .200 hitting percentage powered the Pioneer offense. Kendall Turner (Huber Heights, OH/Wayne) also put together another stellar offensive outing with 10 kills and a .179 hitting percentage. At the service line, Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) turned in another great outing posting a team high three service aces, while Turner registered two and Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) recorded one of her own. At the netfront, Arianna Williams (North Chili, NY/Churchvile-Chili) managed a total four blocks with two solo and two assists, while Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) chipped in the other two assists. On defense, Turner and Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) anchored the back row with 18 digs a piece, while Bailey managed 13. 

The opening frame would see the Pioneers jump ahead to an early 5-0 lead behind strong serving from Jones and kills from Charley Herrington (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) and Turner. Keuka would be able to cut the deficit to two, but the Pioneers would bounce back, with a 5-1 run, pushing the lead to 10-4 in favor of the Pioneers. Utica would continue to build its lead, with a 4-0 run late pushing the score to 23-16. Keuka would be able to hold off the set point but a kill from Bailey would seal the deal in the opening frame for the Pioneers by a score of 25-19. 

The middle set would be all gas, no breaks for the Pioneers as the team would come out swinging early, building a 6-4 lead. An eight point run by the Pioneers on kills from Turner, Bailey, and a slew of attacking errors by the Wolves would give the Pioneers a massive 10 point lead at the halfway point in the set at 14-4. Another massive even point run by Utica late in the set on another strong set of service from Jones, and six Keuka attacking errors would be enough to put the Wolves away in set two by a score of 25-7. 

The final set would open with more of a back and forth battle, with the Pioneers being able to grab the edge at 11-7. Keuka would be able to cut the deficit to one, but the Pioneers would respond with a pair of points to push the lead back to three at 13-10. The teams would continue to trade blows, with Keuka being able to take its first lead of the match at 24-23. The Pioneers would win the next three points and take the final frame by a score of 26-24. 

Utica (12-16, 4-6 Empire 8) returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, November 1 as the team hosts Elmira College in the team;s regular season finale. Prior to tomorrow's contest the team will also be honoring its pair of seniors. Game time from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 1pm.