KEUKA PARK, N.Y.
— The Keuka College Women's Volleyball team lost a hard-fought match on Friday evening 3-1 to Utica University.
Dayna Edholm (Buffalo, N.Y. / Sweet Home) led Keuka College with 17 kills while
Nina Scott (Honeoye Falls, N.Y. / Honeoye Falls-Lima) added 11 of her own.
Gabby Rodriguez (Floresville, Texas / Floresville) held things down on the defensive side, with an impressive 23 digs.
Utica University 3 vs. Keuka College 1 | 17-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22
Keuka set the tone early, capitalizing on Utica's errors to take an early lead. Edholm and Scott each contributed key kills to gain momentum for the Wolves, to go up 11-6. Keuka's defense remained steady with Rodriguez at the forefront to keep the Pioneer's attacks at bay. An Edholm kill would seal the deal in set one, Keuka won 25-17.
The Pioneers challenged the Keuka serve receive in set two and took control of the set. Edholm and Scott remained steady at the net but could not hold off the Utica offense. Each of the teams went on multiple-point runs to keep the game close. With the game tied at 21, the Pioneers went on a four-point run to close out set two 25-21.
Keuka came out strong again in the first set with a 6-3 lead, with Edholm and Scott continuing to lead the attack and
Casey Hunziker (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy) distributing well to keep Utica's defense off balance. Utica answered with a run of their own so the set remained close. With the Wolves up 13-11, Utica went on an 11-1 run to take a large lead. However, Keuka answered with a 7-1 run of their own,
Maddy Drake (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads) and
Gabby Fenton (Buckeye, Ariz. / The Odyssey Institute of Advanced and International Studies) each adding a pair of kills. Another Fenton kill got the Wolves within two points, but Utica ultimately won 25-22 on a service error.
Determined for a fifth set, Keuka pushed hard in the fourth. The teams traded leads multiple times and
Gabby Fenton contributed four kills and a service ace for the Wolves. Keuka found themselves down 23-17 but went on a run. Kills from outside hitters, Edholm and Fenton got the game within two points. The Pioneers would score the last two points of the game to win the set 25-22 and to close out the match 3-1.
KC Notes:
- The Wolves are now 18-7 in the all-time series with Utica University
- Dayna Edholm became the third player in program history to amass 1000 kills in her career at Keuka College
- Edholm's 318 kills this season is eighth in the Keuka record books for kills in a season
- Gabby Fenton's nine kills on the night helped her surpass 100 this season
- This was setter Casey Hunizker's 100th match as a Keuka Wolf
- Nina Scott achieved 300 kills in her career after adding 11 tonight
Next Up for Keuka College: The Green and Gold will return to their home court on Saturday morning to compete in a tri-match with SUNY Poly and St. Lawrence University. The Wolves will face Empire 8 opponent SUNY Poly at 11 a.m. followed by their Senior Day match with St. Lawrence at 3 p.m.
