Ithaca, NY (Feb.27, 2009) - The Utica College women's basketball team lost to third seeded Stevens Institute of Technology 57-53 in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament semi-finals Friday night at Ben Light Gymnasium on the campus of top-seeded and host Ithaca College. The Pioneers wrapped up their 2008-09 campaign with a 19-7 overall record, highlighted by a share of the programs first-ever conference regular season title.

Stevens improved to 21-5 and advances to the finals of the conference tournament against Ithaca College on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

The Ducks opened the contest on a 9-2 run over the course of the first 4:02 capped by a bucket from sophomore Paige Armstrong at the 15:58 mark of the first half. The Pioneers answered with an 8-0 run of their own to take a 10-9 lead after a lay-up by freshman point guard Katie McGee with 12:05 to go in the first half. The score was tied four times over the course of the next 7:04 of play and after sophomore forward Jessica Berry made a lay-up with 5:01 left in the half the scored was knotted at 20-20. Stevens then went on an 8-0 run and held a 28-20 lead with 1:57 to play in the first half. UC's Justine Karst netted a 12 foot jumper to close out the scoring in the second half and the Pioneers trailed 28-22.

UC shot a dismal 25.8 percent (8-of-31) from the floor in the first half compared to the Ducks 41.4 percent (12-of-29) shooting effort.

The Ducks opened the second half on an 8-2 run to take a 12 point lead, its largest of the game, at the 17:28 mark of the second half. Utica answered with a 9-0 run, capped by two consecutive Mallory Davis lay-ups to cut the Ducks lead to just three points, 36-33, with 13:52 to go in the game. Both teams exchanged buckets until Berry netted two consecutive 3-pointers to give the Pioneers a one point lead, 41-40, with 9:07 to go in the contest. Until Berry's outburst UC had not led since the 12:05 mark of the first half. UC was able to extend its lead to three points, 48-45, with 5:25 left in the game but the Ducks answered right back with two straight buckets down low and two free throws to take the lead back, 51-48, with 3:55 to go in the game. The Pioneers were able to cut the lead to one point on two more occasions down the stretch but the Ducks seemed to have every answer as they cruised to a four point victory.

Senior guard Mallory Davis led all Pioneer scorers with 13 points to close out her four year career ranked third on the College's all-time scoring list with 1,241 career points. Devon Croll netted 12 points and sophomore all-conference forward Jessica Berry scored 10 points.

Utica won 13 of its final 16 games of the season, with all three of those loses coming at the hands of Stevens. 19 wins in a single season ties a career high for UC Head Coach Michele Davis. The Pioneers were 0-2 against Stevens headed into Friday nights re-match of the 2008 Empire 8 Conference Tournament Championship. UC defeated Stevens 55-46 in last year's conference tournament championship game in Hoboken, NJ.

--- www.ucpioneers.com ---