ERIE, PA – The Utica University women's volleyball team battled through two matches Saturday at the Junker Center, falling to Thiel College, 3-2, before dropping a 3-1 decision to Fredonia University.
Thiel 3, Utica 2
Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) led the Pioneers with 13 kills and five service aces, while Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) added nine kills and Arianna Williams (North Chili, NY/Churchville-Chili) recorded eight. Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) anchored the defense with a team-high 28 digs, while Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) added 12 digs. Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) paced the offense with 21 assists, with Jones contributing 13 assists. Mackenzie O'Brien (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) and Layla Rice (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) each added five and six kills, respectively, while O'Brien also recorded a team-high two blocks.
Utica came out strong in the opening set, jumping out to a 5-0 lead behind an ace from Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn), a kill from Layla Rice (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) and a pair of Thiel attack errors. The Pioneers later built a 15-6 advantage before Thiel began to chip away. Thiel scored six straight points to cut the deficit to 23-22, but Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) recorded a kill to put Utica at set point. After Thiel made it 24-23, Charley Herrington (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) finished the set with a kill to give Utica the 25-23 win.
Thiel answered in the second set, using a 5-0 run to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 12-7 lead. Utica responded with four straight points, including two kills from Rice, to pull within 12-11. Thiel regained control, scoring six straight points to extend its lead to 22-12 before closing out the set, 25-15.
The Tomcats carried that momentum into the third set, taking a 6-3 lead before extending the advantage to 12-5 with another six-point run. Thiel later pushed its lead to 16-6 and maintained the cushion throughout the remainder of the set, taking the frame 25-16.
Utica battled back in the fourth set. After falling behind 3-0, the Pioneers gradually worked their way back and eventually took an 11-10 lead after a 5-0 run. The teams continued to trade points before Utica moved ahead 17-16. Thiel responded with five straight points to take a 21-17 advantage, but the Pioneers rallied again. Utica tied the set at 23-23 and, after the Tomcats reached set point at 24-23, the Pioneers answered with three of the next four points. Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) recorded a kill to put Utica ahead 26-25 before Emylie Stanton (Latham, NY/Shaker) sealed the 27-25 victory with a service ace.
The deciding fifth set remained tightly contested from start to finish. Utica held leads of 7-5, 8-6 and 10-8, but Thiel battled back to tie the set and then take the lead at 11-10. The teams remained within a point of each other through the late stages, with the score tied at 14-14, and 17-17. Thiel scored the final two points to take the set 19-17 and the match, 3-2.
Fredonia 3, Utica 1
Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Emylie Stanton (Latham, NY/Shaker) led the Pioneers with nine kills apiece, while Mackenzie O'Brien (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) added eight. Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) paced the offense with 18 assists and added 11 digs, while Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) recorded 13 assists and two aces. Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) led Utica defensively with 19 digs, while Layla Rice (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) added 11 digs and two aces. Charley Herrington (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) posted a team-best .571 hitting percentage with four kills on seven attacks.
Utica jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the opening set after trailing 2-0, with Emylie Stanton (Latham, NY/Shaker) and Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) helping the Pioneers take control. Utica later extended its lead to 10-4 before Fredonia cut the deficit to 10-7. The Pioneers responded by pushing the advantage to 17-9 and continued to maintain control, taking the opening frame 25-16.
Fredonia answered in the second set, building an 11-4 advantage early. Utica battled back to within 12-7 before the Blue Devils extended their lead to 16-7. The Pioneers later put together a four-point run to cut the deficit to 16-11, but Fredonia regained control and closed out the set 25-16.
The third set was tightly contested early, with the teams tied at 3-3, 5-5 and 6-6. Fredonia moved ahead 9-7 before Utica answered to tie the set at 12-12. The Blue Devils then opened a 15-13 lead, but Utica battled back to tie the set at 18-18. Fredonia scored the next five points to reach 23-18 before closing out the frame, 25-19.
Fredonia carried the momentum into the fourth set, jumping out to a 7-1 lead. Utica responded with a three-point run to pull within 7-4, but the Blue Devils rebuilt their advantage to 13-6. The Pioneers then mounted their biggest comeback of the set, scoring seven straight points to erase the deficit and tie the frame at 13-13. Fredonia answered with a 4-1 run to regain the lead, and the teams traded points down the stretch before the Blue Devils finished off the match, 25-21.
The Pioneers move to 1-8 on the season (0-0 Empire 8), and return to action on Wednesday, September 18 as the team takes to Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center for the first time in 2026 against the Morrisville Mustangs in the team's annual First Responders Match. Start time is set for 7pm.
