The Utica College women's basketball team (8-2, 2-0 E8) won its third straight game and remains undefeated in Empire 8 Conference play after a 58-51 win over visiting Stevens Institute of Technology (6-5, 4-1 E8) Tuesday night. Utica used 21 points from junior forward Jessica Berry to snap the Ducks four game conference winning streak. Junior Devon Croll added 16 points, four assists and three steals for UC.
Berry scored the Pioneers first ten points of the contest behind two 3-pointers and two mid range jumpers as Utica jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the first six minutes of the contest. Stevens answered right back with an 8-1 run to take a 13-11 lead at the 10:50 mark of the first half.
The Pioneers punched right back and went on an 11-0 run over the course of the next 5:01 to earn a commanding 22-13 lead with 5:39 to go in the first half of play. Stevens did not back down though and closed out the final five minutes of the half on an 8-2 run. UC led 24-21 as the first half buzzer sounded.
The second half featured one tie within the first three minutes of play after Paige Anderson opened the second half with a three-point play. Anderson finished the day with six points and five rebounds.
Utica responded with a 9-0 run in the next 2:41 of play to take a 33-24 lead with 14:50 to go in the contest. The Pioneers would not relinquish that lead for the remainder of the game. The Ducks cut the Pioneer lead to as few as two points on two different occasions but a 7-0 run late in the contest gave UC a 49-40 lead and eventually the victory.
The Pioneers received eight points apiece from sophomore Katie McGee and freshman Megan Fiore. Fiore also added seven rebounds, while senior forward Jessica Snyder posted five points and three rebounds.
Brittany Fuller tallied a team-high 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Ducks, while Victoria O'Connor added nine points and ten rebounds off the bench. Three other players scored at least six points for Stevens.
Utica returns to action on Friday night when they take on visiting St. John Fisher College at 6 p.m. Stevens returns home on Sunday to host Hartwick in Empire 8 Conference play at 2 p.m.
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