ONEONTA, NY - The Utica University women's volleyball team split a pair of matches Saturday at Dewar Arena, battling Wheaton College (Mass.) to a four-set decision before closing out the day with a dominant 3-0 sweep of Paul Smith's College.
Wheaton 3, Utica 1
Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) led the Pioneers offensively with 11 kills and 16 digs. Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) added eight kills, while Arianna Williams (North Chili, NY/Churchville-Chili), Emylie Stanton (Latham, NY/Shaker) and Charley Herrington (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) each recorded five kills. Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) anchored the Utica defense with 29 digs, while Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) and Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) recorded 17 and 15 assists, respectively.
Utica came out strong in its first match of the day against Wheaton, building a 19-13 advantage in the opening set. The Lyons responded with a late 7-1 run to even the score at 20 a side before the Pioneers would take the final five points to claim the set, 25-20.
The Pioneers battled back and forth with Wheaton throughout the second frame. Wheaton took a late 23-20 lead before Utica tied the set at 23-23. The Lyons then scored the final two points to secure a 25-23 victory and even the match at one set apiece.
Wheaton regained the momentum in the third set. Utica held a 15-34 advantage before the Lyons scored eight of the next nine points to take a 21-16 lead. The Pioneers would continue to fight back into the set, trading blows to bring the score to 23-20, but Wheaton would go on to claim the set, 25-20.
The fourth set featured another back-and-forth battle. Utica built leads of 10-6 and 15-11 before Wheaton rallied to tie the frame at 15-15. The teams remained tied at 17-17 before the Lyons pulled away late, taking the set 25-20 and the match 3-1.
Utica, 3 Paul Smith's 0
The Pioneers responded in a big way in their second match of the day, sweeping Paul Smith's, 3-0, by scores of 25-0, 25-12 and 25-5. Layla Rice (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) led the Utica attack with eight kills while hitting .583 for the match. Arianna Williams (North Chili, NY/Churchville-Chili) added seven kills, while Olivia Kumpon (Binghamton, NY/Susquehanna) finished with five kills. Trinity Bailey (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) and Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) each recorded four kills. Addison Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) totaled 13 assists, while Ancewicz added 10 assists along with 10 service aces.
Utica opened the match with a dominant 25-0 first-set victory. Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) sparked the Pioneers' run from the service line, recording all 25 of her serves consecutively as Utica jumped out to the commanding lead. The Pioneers recorded eight kills without an attack error in the opening frame.
Utica continued to control play in the second set, earning a 25-12 victory before closing out the match with a 25-5 win in the third. The Pioneers hit .647 in the final set, recording 14 kills on 17 attempts.
Utica (1-4, 0-0 Empire 8) returns to action on Friday, September 11 as the team travels to Erie, PA for the Penn State Behrend Invitational. Game one, against the hosts, Penn State Behrend is set for 3pm.
