Soaring Eagles Drop Tightly Contested E8 Match Against Utica 3-1

UTICA, N.Y. – Morgan Richardson ’25 tallied a match-high 18 kills for the Elmira College women’s volleyball program as the Soaring Eagles dropped a 3-1 decision in Empire 8 Conference action against Utica University on Friday.
 

JUST THE BASICS:

SCORE: Elmira 1, Utica 3

LOCATION: Utica, New York | Clark Athletic Center

TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (7-15, 0-6 Empire 8), Utica (14-9, 4-2 Empire 8)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Soaring Eagles grabbed an early 6-3 advantage in the first set and later used a 3-0 run to gain a 9-5 lead against the Pioneers. Utica responded with a 4-0 run to take an 11-10 lead before going up 14-11.
• Trailing 21-18 in the set, a 5-0 rally gave the Soaring Eagles a 23-21 advantage. The Pioneers countered with the next four points to secure the opening set victory 25-23.
• In the second set, Elmira rallied from an early 5-0 deficit to trim the deficit to 5-4. A 6-0 run later in the set vaulted the Soaring Eagles to a 10-6 advantage before an 11-0 rally from Utica would give the Pioneers a 17-10 lead.
• Elmira would do its best to rally back into the set and make the score 24-17 before the Pioneers secured the set to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
• The Soaring Eagles would take an early 7-5 lead in the third set following a 5-0 run and three attacking errors from the Pioneers. EC later extended its advantage in the set to 15-7 before making it 18-9. A kill from Asia Curkendall ’25 secured a 25-15 victory in the third set for the Soaring Eagles.
• With Utica holding a 22-19 lead late in the fourth set, the Soaring Eagles put…