The Utica College women's basketball team beat Empire 8 rival Alfred University 68-55 Friday on the road behind Junior Jessica Berry's (Rome,NY) 17 points six rebounds and six steals. The Pioneers improve to 16-5 overall and 9-3 in conference, good for second place in the Empire 8.

UC would struggle to find their rhythm early as they fell into a 10-4 hole five minutes into the game. The Pioneers pressure would help them battle back as they forced seven steals in the first half leading to 14 points off turnovers. Freshman center Meghan Fiore (Epping, NH) led the Pioneers throughout the first half as she scored 13 of her 15 points while grabbing five rebounds. Utica College would finish the first half with a narrow lead of 35-34 as second chance points kept them in the contest.

The second half would see the Pioneers find their rythm as they would shoot 52% from the field and 80% from behind the arc. A 13-2 run to start the half helped the Pioneers hold off Alfred as they went on to win 68-55. Junior Devon Croll (Vernon,NY) posted 16 points and five rebounds while Fiore scored 15 points in only 13 minutes of play. Lyndsay Murphy led the way for Alfred with 19 points and four rebounds and Christina Jordan chipped in 14 points and four rebounds.

The Pioneers improve to 9-3 in conference and 16-5 overall as Alfred falls to 3-10 in the Empire 8 and 9-13 overall. UC will try to make it two in a row as they take on RIT Saturday at Clark Gymnasium with an expected start time of 2 p.m.

                          ---ucpioneers.com---