KEUKA PARK, N.Y. – The Utica University volleyball team battled back from an early deficit and held on for a thrilling 3-2 Empire 8 victory over host Keuka College on Saturday afternoon at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center.
Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) led the Pioneers offensively with 19 kills while adding 25 digs and three service aces, while Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) also recorded 19 kills on an efficient .395 hitting percentage. Layla Rice (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) chipped in 11 kills with 13 digs. Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) anchored the defensive effort with a season-high 33 digs, while Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) paced the offense with 28 assists. As a team, Utica hit .250 for the match and finished with 59 kills, five aces, three blocks and 97 digs. The Pioneers also held Keuka to a .189 hitting percentage while recording 25 fewer attack errors than the hosts.
Keuka came out strong in the opening set, jumping out to a 10-4 advantage before Utica began to chip away. The Pioneers eventually pulled even at 20-20 following a kill from Rice, and Utica took a 22-21 lead after a Keuka attack error. The hosts answered with four straight points, however, to take the first set 25-22.
Utica responded immediately in the second set. The Pioneers tied the set at 9-9 before putting together a five-point run to extend the advantage to 14-10. Keuka later rallied to tie the set at 14-14, but Utica regained control behind kills from Hanba and Rice and eventually closed out the set 25-20 on back-to-back Keuka attack errors.
The Pioneers carried that momentum into the third set, opening up a 9-4 lead before Keuka could respond. Utica continued to apply pressure, stretching the margin to 16-8 before eventually taking a commanding 24-15 lead. A Keuka attack error on the following point gave the Pioneers the 25-15 victory and a 2-1 match advantage.
Keuka answered in the fourth set, building a 14-10 lead and later extending the advantage to 17-12. Utica fought back to within 20-16 and eventually cut the deficit to 23-20, but Keuka finished the set with the final two points to force a decisive fifth set.
The fifth set was a back-and-forth battle from the opening serve. Keuka took an early 3-0 lead before Utica battled back to tie the frame at 5-5. The teams remained within a point of each other throughout the deciding set, with Utica eventually pulling ahead 10-9 following back-to-back kills from Hanba. After Keuka tied the set at 10-10, the Pioneers continued to trade points with the hosts until the score reached 13-13. Bailey then delivered a kill to put Utica ahead 14-13, and a Keuka attack error on the ensuing point sealed the 15-13 victory and the five-set match win.
With the win, the team moves to 6-11 on the season, and 2-0 in conference play. The team returns to action on Tuesday, October 6 as the team hosts SUNY Poly in a Mental Health Awareness Match presented by the Center for Family Life and Recovery. Start time from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 7pm.
