ROCHESTER, NY - The Utica University volleyball team wrapped up its 2026 season on Thursday evening, falling to the University of Rochester in straight sets (20-25, 13-25, 17-25) at the Louis Alexander Palestra. The Pioneers concluded their campaign with a 9-19 overall record and a 5-6 mark in Empire 8 play.
Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) led Utica offensively with five kills, nine digs and two service aces. Layla Rice (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) followed with four kills and a service ace, while Emylie Stanton (Latham, NY/Shaker) and Charley Herrington (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) each contributed three kills. Herrington also recorded one solo block and one block assist. Defensively, Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) paced the Pioneers with a match-high 13 digs, while Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) dished out nine assists and Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) added six.
Utica came out strong in the opening set, jumping ahead 7-2 behind a pair of kills from Stanton and a service ace from Wright. The Pioneers maintained their advantage through the early stages, holding a 10-8 lead before Rochester rattled off four consecutive points to move in front 12-10. Utica remained within striking distance, cutting the deficit to 16-14 following back-to-back kills from Bailey. However, the Yellowjackets responded with a seven-point run to extend their lead to 23-14. The Pioneers made a late push, scoring six of the next seven points behind a kill from Herrington and a service ace from Bailey, but Rochester closed out the set 25-20.
The second frame began as a back-and-forth battle, with the teams trading points through five ties in the early going. Ancewicz delivered a service ace to give Utica a 5-4 advantage before Rochester took control with a five-point run to move ahead 9-5. The Yellowjackets continued to build their lead, stretching the margin to 14-6. Utica answered with three consecutive points, highlighted by a kill from Herrington and a combined block from Herrington and Mackenzie O'Brien (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh), to trim the deficit to five. Rochester responded with another offensive surge, pushing its lead to 21-11 before taking the second set 25-13.
Rochester carried its momentum into the third set, opening up a 9-3 advantage before the Pioneers began to chip away at the deficit. Rice sparked a four-point stretch with a kill and a service ace, bringing Utica within two at 9-7. After the Yellowjackets extended their lead to 10-7, the Pioneers rallied again, using a block from Herrington and a Rochester attack error to even the score at 10-10. Rochester answered with five straight points to regain control at 15-10 before extending its advantage to 19-11. Utica continued to battle down the stretch, with Bailey and Rice combining for several late points, but the Yellowjackets held on to secure the 25-17 victory and complete the sweep.
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