Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ONEONTA, NY – The 2026 season got started for the University of Rochester volleyball team on Friday evening, with the Yellowjackets splitting a pair of matches at the Oneonta Red Dragon Invitational at Dewar Arena.
 
URochester (1-1) fell 3-1 in its opening contest during the afternoon to Montclair State University, before rebounding with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap against Utica University.
 
In the Yellowjacket victory, Rochester was able to rebound after dropping the first set 25-14 to the Pioneers (0-3), rallying off three straight set wins by scores of 25-19, 25-21 and 25-13.
 
Myla Nover-Estes led UR with 11 kills, while Claire Feczko scored eight in the win. Both Ellen Porter and Lilly Kraemer had seven apiece. Lydia Weeks scooped up 27 digs, while Iliana Balaskas had 10 digs to go along with 13 assists.
 
At the service line, Valeria Berrios Puig had three aces, while Emma McCrann and Weeks each had two. Juliette Azzariti led the victors with 17 assists.
 
After taking the opening set, Utica started out with an early lead in set two, before URochester scored six of seven points to go from trailing 10-6 to up 12-11. After Utica tied it, three straight points, including a kill from Feczko and McCrann ace put URochester up three.
 
The Yellowjackets kept the Pioneers at bay the rest of the way, with Nover-Estes' kill off a pass from Weeks securing the set.
 
In the third, the score was tied at 13-all before Rochester scored five straight points to surge in front. Feczko and Porter had kills along with Weeks recording an ace in the run. With Rochester sitting on 24 points, Utica scored four straight to test the 'Jacket nerves, but Nover-Estes again ended the set with a kill, putting UR ahead overall in the match.
 
The final set saw UR go ahead 10-5 and never lead by less than three the rest of the way. URochester ended on a high not, scoring the final eight points of the night. Puig highlighted that stretch with her three aces, including the match-deciding point.
 
URochester's loss in the afternoon featured a 25-17 win in the opening set, followed by 25-21, 25-15 and 25-21 wins by the Redhawks (1-0).
 
UR's kill leader was again Nover-Estes, as the senior had 14. The next highest kill totals were five each from Feczko and Porter. Balaskas had 25 assists and Weeks had eight digs to lead the defense.
 
As a team, Rochester had 15 aces, including three each by Berrios Puig, Lilly Krawemer and Azzariti.
 
UR's strong first set win featured a .259 hitting percentage, and overall in the game, the Yellowjackets finished at .174. Nover-Estes, Feczko and Porter all hit .250 or above on double-digit swings.
 
The Yellowjackets wrap up play at the weekend invitational by playing against Paul Smith's College and host Oneonta on Saturday. The matches are at 10 am and noon.