OSWEGO, N.Y. – The Utica University volleyball team earned a 3-0 sweep over Bard College on Friday evening at Laker Hall in Ziel Gymnasium. The Pioneers took all three sets by scores of 25-11, 25-11, and 25-22.
Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) paced the Pioneers offensively with 12 kills on 30 attacks while hitting .267 for the match. Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) added six kills on 21 attacks with a .190 hitting percentage, while Rice finished with four kills and a .222 hitting percentage. Mackenzie O'Brien (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) recorded two kills on three attacks without committing an error, good for a .667 hitting percentage.
Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) directed the Utica offense with 14 assists, while Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) added seven assists. Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) led the defensive effort with 20 digs, while Bailey contributed 10 digs and Hanba added eight. Utica finished with 56 digs as a team and recorded five total blocks, including three from O'Brien.
The Pioneers also finished with seven service aces, with Layla Rice (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) leading the way with three. Bailey and Ancewicz each added one ace, while O'Brien recorded two.
Utica came out strong in the opening set, jumping out to a 9-1 lead before Bard responded with a short run. The Pioneers continued to control the set, closing on an 8-2 run to take the opener, 25-11. Bailey led Utica with five kills in the opening frame, while Rice added three kills.
The Pioneers carried that momentum into the second set, building an early 6-1 advantage. Utica maintained control throughout the frame and extended its lead to 21-8 before finishing off the set, 25-11, to take a 2-0 match lead.
Bard pushed back in the third set, with the two teams battling through eight ties and six lead changes. Utica held an 8-4 advantage early before Bard rallied to come within one at 15-16. The Pioneers answered to regain the lead and eventually held a 24-21 advantage. Bard cut the deficit to two, but Bailey delivered the final kill to seal the 25-22 victory and complete the sweep.
With the win, the Pioneers move to 3-8 on the season (0-0 Empire 8), and are back in action tomorrow, Saturday, September 19 as the team takes on day two of the Oswego Invitational. Game one against Clarkson is set for 4pm, while game two is set for 6pm against the hosts, Oswego State.
