Junior forward Jessica Berry tied a career-high with 31 points and added 14 rebounds as the Utica College women's basketball team defeated visiting St. John Fisher College 73-64 in Empire 8 Conference play on the hardwood at the Clark Athletic Center Friday night. The Pioneers (9-2, 3-0 E8), winners of four in a row, used a 7-0 run over the course of two minutes late in the second half to seal the victory. Junior guard Devon Croll added 13 points for the Pioneers.

Fisher (6-4, 3-2 E8) jumped out to a 10-5 lead 5:19 into the contest after Mary Kate Comfort made a lay-up at the 14:41 mark of the first half. The Pioneers answered with a 7-2 run to tie the score at 12-12 before the Cardinals went on a 5-0 run to take a 17-12 lead with 8:50 to go in the first half of play.

UC then went on an 11-3 run in a span of 2:59 to take a three point lead, 23-20, with 5:51 left to go in the half. Fisher would manage to regain the lead with 33 seconds to go in the half after Colleen Maloney drain one of her game-high four 3-pointers and the Cardinals owned a 33-31 lead as the halftime buzzer sounded.

The first ten minutes of the second half featured five ties and four lead changes. The Pioneers turned it on in the final ten minutes of the second half and used a 17-10 run over the course of 7:58 to take a commanding ten point lead, 70-60, with 1:59 to go in the game. Berry netted 11 of the Pioneers 17 points in the game-winning run.

The Pioneer defense stood strong in the final two minutes of the contest to earn the convincing nine point victory.

In a contest that featured eight ties and nine lead changes the Pioneers shot 50% from the floor while holding the Cardinals to 38.2% shooting.

Sophomore Justine Karst was 4-for-6 from the field and scored eight points, while Danielle Busansky was 3-for-3 from behind the arc, good for nine points. Freshman Meghan Fiore added eight points off the bench for the Pioneers.

Maloney led the way for Fisher with 19 points and five steals, while Comfort totaled ten points off the bench. Meghan Soja added eight points and four boards for the Cardinals.

UC returns to action Saturday when they host Nazareth College in a conference contest at 2 p.m. The last time these two teams squared off the Pioneers won 68-65 behind 31 points from Berry on Dec. 6th. Fisher returns to Pittsford, N.Y. tomorrow to take on the Bombers of Ithaca College at Manning Napier Varsity Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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