ONEONTA, NY - The Utica University volleyball team fell in the 2025 Empire 8 Women's Volleyball Tournament Quarterfinal to the second seeded Hartwick Hawks by a score of 3-0 on Saturday afternoon. 

Leading the way for the Pioneers was Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham), who brought down six kills, followed by Kendall Turner (Huber Heights, OH/Wayne) with five and Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) with three. At the service line, Jones, Bailey, and Turner each recorded an ace. At the netfront, Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) led the Pioneers with four blocks, while Charley Herrington (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) registered three, and Jones a pair. On defense, Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) managed 14 digs, while Turner posted nine. 

Hartwick took the opener 25–12 after edging ahead 3–1 before Utica leveled at 3–3 on a Turner service ace. The teams traded to 6–6, but the Hawks pieced together a decisive mid-set run to 22–11. Utica grabbed one more on a Herrington/Anthony block for 12–22, but Hartwick closed with a kill and two more points to finish the frame.

Set two started fast for Utica on a Turner kill and stayed tight at 3–5 before Hartwick surged to 9–3 and later 13–10. The Hawks stretched it to 20–12. The Pioneers clawed back with four straight, and steady setting from Jones to make it 21–15, but three closing points gave Hartwick the set, 25–15.

Hartwick controlled the third, 25–15, using a 5–3 start and a middle-frame push to 14–8. Utica answered with late points on a Williams finish and a Turner kill, along with a service error by Hartwick to fend off set point at 24–15, but a final Hawk swing sealed the sweep.

Utica completes the season with a 13-17 record with a 5-6 record in Empire 8 play.