Hamilton College's Giuliana Rankin '20 pounded a season-high 15 kills and the Continentals defeated the Utica College Pioneers in three sets at Utica's Clark Athletic Center on Wednesday night.

Hamilton (5-3 overall) extended its win streak to three matches by sweeping the Pioneers with set scores of 25-15, 25-20, 25-22. The Continentals take on non-conference foe Cazenovia College in their 2019 home opener at Margaret Bundy Scott Field House on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.

Utica (1-12) recorded its only win this fall against Cazenovia. Hamilton held a 9-3 advantage over the Pioneers in service aces, and Utica registered a .055 hitting percentage.

Dorothy Poucher '21 had a fine all-around match for the Continentals with eight kills, three aces and two blocks. Poucher picked up her 400th career kill and 100th block in the victory. Jo Dine '22 passed out 25 assists and Jane Fanning '22 chipped in a pair of blocks. Nikki Matsuoka '21 led the defense with 11 digs and Deirdre Corrigan '23 added nine. Matsuoka entered the evening third in the NESCAC in total digs and digs per set.

The first set was tied at 6-6 but the Pioneers self-destructed and Hamilton scored the next six points. The run included four Utica attack errors, a kill by Kendall Searcy '20 and an ace by Matsuoka. The Pioneers didn't get closer than five points the rest of the set. The Continentals had a hitting percentage of .382 with 14 kills and just one error in 34 attack attempts in the opening set.

Neither team led by more than two points in the second set until Hamilton ran off five in a row and opened up an 18-12 cushion. The run featured two kills by Rankin, one each by Dine and Kendall Boxe '22, and an ace by Searcy. The Continentals cruised from there.

The third set was close the entire way as neither team led by more than three points. Hamilton called a timeout with the score tied at 22-22 and the Continentals closed out the match with three straight points. Corrigan gave Hamilton the lead with a kill and the match ended with a Utica attack error and a bad set.

Meaghan Romaguera paced the Pioneers with seven kills and 13 digs. Jenna Prewasnicak dished out 11 assists, Taylor Crowley chipped in 12 digs and Alicja Swiechowska had a match-high three blocks.