Troy, NY - Sage's women's volleyball team hosted the Pioneers of Utica College on Wednesday night in the Neff Center in a non-conference match. Wednesday's match was a rematch for the two teams that first met this season on September 14 and Sage picked up a narrow, 3-2 win. Tonight the tables were turned as Utica came from down one set to top Sage, 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 30-28, 25-21). Utica improves to 8-21 overall, while Sage is now 20-9.
The Pioneers had four players finish in double-digit digs, while sophomore middle hitter Madison Bayer (Islip Terrace, NY/East Islip)had a double-double with 19 kills and 19 digs. She made just one reception error in 30 attempts for a .968 reception percentage in the match.
Sophomore Chelsea Lauria (Erieville, NY/Cazenovia) had 19 setting assists, while connecting on eight digs with four kills for the Pioneers. Sophomore Kellee Furno (Baltimore, MD/Maryvale) added 17 setting assists with three aces and 22 digs in helping Utica to the win.
For Sage, junior setter Joanie Cooney (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa) racked up a season-best 50 setting assists and added 20 digs with one ace. Sophomore Helen Putriment (Troy, NY/Cobleskill Richmondville) added 15 kills with 25 digs.
Rookie Morgan Robinson (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa) tallied 14 kills with 12 digs, while junior Katelyn Drollette (Cadyville, NY/Saranac) connected for 27 digs and had an ace.
Rookie Mickey Mango (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) added six kills and five digs, while sophomore Jillian Schwab (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville Manlius) had seven kills, three aces and three block assists.
Cooney now has a team-best 844 setting assists this fall, while elevating her career total to 2,295, which is second all-time at Sage. Putriment leads the team with her 264 kills this fall and surpassed Krista Provost (627, 2007-2008) on the career kills list as she now has 641. Drollette, who has a personal-best 383 digs this season, moved to 537 career digs with her performance on Wednesday evening.
Sage returns to action competing on Saturday, October 27 at Oneonta State in the Dig Pink Invitational. Sage will face the host Red Dragons at noon and then meet Hartwick College at 2 p.m. Next up for the Pioneers is a road contest at Cazenovia College on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Gators have secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming 2012 Skyline Conference Tournament and have tallied the team's first 20+ win season since 2008, when they last went 24-12 and appeared in the NCAA Tournament after winning the program's second straight Skyline Conference.
