UTICA, NY – The Alfred University women's volleyball team was forced to a fifth set match against Utica College but fell in Empire 8 action on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Saxons (7-11, 0-4 Empire 8) loss the first set, 25-16 but built momentum in taking the match lead with back-to-back set wins in the second and third, 25-13, 25-23, respectively. Utica took the fourth set to force a fifth with a 25-22 finish and won the match in the final set, 15-12. "Today was the theme of our season. We disrespect opponents who we have had success with in previous years and it affords them opportunities to come in and win," Head Coach Dakota Pruiss said. "I give a lot of credit to Utica for bringing a lot of passion and aggression today, and I can only hope our squad learns this lesson before our season is over."
 
AU had a distinct advantage on serves as they had 12 aces compared to only two from the Pioneers. Both Amanda Burns (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) and Darian Ortiz (Santa Fe, NM/St. Michael's) had four aces on the day. Ortiz totaled 4.0 points while Burns had 6.0, adding in two kills. Burns also led the Saxons in assists with 32 set assists while being one of four Saxons with double-digit digs, stopping 10 attacks from finding the court surface.
 
Ortiz led the back line with 17 digs as Anjoeline Armstrong (Simi Valley, CA/Bishop Alemany) had 16 and Jamie Chun (Hilo, HI/Hilo) made 12 digs on the day.
 
Sarah Raeman (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) had 14.0 points from 13 kills and an ace while Honor Edmands (Reno, NV/Reno) supplemented with 10.0 points off nine kills and an ace as well.
 
The Saxons will next host Nazareth College on Tuesday, October 12 at 7:00pm in the Terry S. Galanis Family Arena.