Fisher 82, Utica 79 - Box Score

Rochester, N.Y. (2/12/2011) – Utica College senior forward Jessica Berry (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) scored 29 points on her way to becoming the 11th player in NCAA Division III women's basketball history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds as the Pioneers lost to host St. John Fisher College 82-79 Saturday afternoon. SUNY Cortland's Jessica Laing '10 was the last player to accomplish the feat on Feb. 12 of last year.

With the exception of four ties the Cardinals (14-10, 11-4 Empire 8) led the entire contest on their way to winning their ninth game in ten tries. Utica (12-10, 8-5 Empire 8) trailed by as many as 12 points with 6:09 to go but they were able to cut the deficit to two, late in the contest, only to fall short as the final buzzer sounded.

Berry also added a game-high 13 rebounds, three assists and three steals for the Pioneers. She now has a school-record 2,013 points to go along with 1,033 career rebounds.  Despite the loss the Pioneers have clinched their seventh consecutive bid to the Empire 8 Conference Tournament.  If Stevens Institute of Technology wins one more game or Utica loses one more game, top seeded Ithaca will meet Utica in one semifinal matchup and Stevens and St. John Fisher will meet in the other semifinal game.

Three different players scored in double figures to lead the way for the Cardinals. Colleen Maloney shot 11-for-20 from the floor en route to scoring 29 points. She also grabbed seven rebounds. Meghan Soja netted 17 points and Amanda Lax added 14 points to pace Fisher. The Cardinals shot 52.7 percent from the floor on the evening.

Fisher jumped out to a six point lead, 11-5, 4:40 into the contest after Soja made a lay-up in the paint to give the Cardinals an early advantage. UC answered with an 8-2 run to knot the score for the first time in the contest at the 13:39 mark. Fisher went 3-for-4 from the floor and drained four free-throws from the charity stripe in the final 3:15 of the first half to take a commanding seven point advantage, 40-33, into the locker room.

As Berry converted on two free throws at 13:11 in the second half the Pioneers tied the score for the last time (49-49). Fisher would nail three straight 3-pointers in a span of 1:56 to take a 12 point advantage, 72-60, with 6:09 remaining. The Pioneers posted one more run but it was not enough as the Cardinals earned the key conference victory.

UC sophomore forward Meghan Fiore (Epping, NH/Epping) netted 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while senior guard Devon Croll (Vernon, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill) chipped in with 17 points and four assists. Point guard Katie McGee (Philadelphia, PA/Nazareth) talied a team-high six steals for the Pioneers.

Utica returns to the hardwood on Tuesday night when it travels to Elmira College for a conference contest at 6 p.m. Fisher, which hosted senior night against Utica, will travel to East Avenue Rival Nazareth College on Tuesday night for its final regular season contest at 6 p.m.
 
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