UTICA, NY – The Utica University women's volleyball team remained perfect in Empire 8 play on Tuesday evening, sweeping SUNY Poly 3-0 inside the Clark Athletic Center. The Pioneers battled through a tight opening set before taking control of the match, winning by scores of 27-25, 25-11 and 25-20.
Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) led the Pioneer attack with 10 kills while adding 10 digs, two service aces and a solo block for a double-double. Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) finished with six kills and eight digs, while Mackenzie O'Brien (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) and Emylie Stanton (Latham, NY/Shaker) each contributed five kills. Stanton did not commit an attacking error on 12 attempts, hitting .417 for the match, while O'Brien hit .273 and recorded two solo blocks. Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) anchored the defense with a match-high 23 digs and two aces. Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) dished out 16 assists and added eight digs, while Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) finished with 14 assists. As a team, Utica finished with 33 kills, 32 assists, six service aces and 72 digs while holding SUNY Poly to a .030 hitting percentage. The Pioneers hit .162 for the match and forced the Wildcats into 25 attacking errors.
Utica jumped in front early in the opening set, using consecutive SUNY Poly attacking errors to build a 9-4 advantage. The Pioneers continued to hold the edge and stretched their lead to 19-12 following back-to-back kills from Kamari Davis (Utica, NY/Proctor) and Hanba. The Wildcats responded with a six-point run to pull within 19-18 before Hanba stopped the surge with a kill. SUNY Poly eventually evened the set at 21-21 and later took its first lead at 23-22. The two sides traded points down the stretch, with Utica fighting off set point twice. Charley Herrington's (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) kill tied the frame at 24 before Layla Rice (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) answered another SUNY Poly point with a kill to make it 25-25. Bailey then put the Pioneers ahead with a kill before an attack error by the Wildcats sealed the 27-25 opening-set victory.
The Pioneers carried the momentum into the second set and immediately took control. Utica scored the first five points of the frame, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Stanton, and eventually pushed its advantage to 8-2 on a Wright service ace. Utica continued to pull away as Bailey and Davis helped extend the lead to 13-4. Bailey later delivered consecutive service aces during another Pioneer run that made it 17-6. The advantage reached 21-7 following an O'Brien kill, and Utica never allowed the Wildcats back into the set. O'Brien added another kill to make it 23-11 before the Pioneers closed the frame on consecutive SUNY Poly attacking errors for the 25-11 win.
SUNY Poly opened the third set with an early 4-1 advantage, but Utica quickly answered. Bailey started the response with a kill before Stanton took over at the service line, helping the Pioneers score six straight points to move ahead 7-4. Wright later added an ace and Bailey followed with a kill to extend the lead to 10-7. The Wildcats continued to battle and eventually pulled even at 14-14, but Stanton immediately put Utica back in front with a kill. The teams traded points through a 17-17 tie before kills from Hanba on three of Utica's next four points helped the Pioneers create a 20-17 advantage. Utica maintained control from there, with Jones adding an ace to make it 22-18. SUNY Poly pulled within three at 23-20, but an attack error gave the Pioneers match point before another Wildcat attacking error completed the sweep, 25-20.
With the win, the Pioneers move to 7-11 on the season, and an unbeaten 3-0 in Empire 8 play. The team returns to action on Friday, October 9 as the team hosts Houghton University. Start time is set for 7pm from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center.
