HOBOKEN, NJ – The Utica College women's basketball team lost to host Stevens Institute of Technology 55-52 in Empire 8 Conference action Tuesday afternoon at Canavan Arena.  The Pioneers rallied midway through the second half to lead by as many as six points with 8:14 to go but the Ducks used a 15-4 run in an 8:04 stretch late in the contest to earn the three point victory.

Senior forward Samantha Stayer (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone) led UC with 15 points, four rebounds and two steals, while freshman Amanda Henderson (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) came off the bench and scored a career-high 10 points and added four rebounds.  Utica (4-8, 0-3 Empire 8) is in the midst of a five game skid and looks to return to its winning ways on Friday night when the Pioneers travel to Elmira College to take on the Soaring Eagles at 6 p.m.

Stevens was led by 18 points from Kaitlyn Astel as the Ducks won their eighth straight game and improved to 8-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference. Miranda Ripken added 10 points for Stevens.

Stevens led by as many as eight points, 25-17, with 3:50 to go in the first half of play. UC then went on a 26-14 run in a span of the next 16:07 to take a six point lead, 43-37, after a Henderson lay-up at the 8:38 mark of the second half. The Pioneers caused six Stevens turnovers in the stretch. Unfortunately for UC its final lead of the contest came with 1:59 remaining as the Ducks late run earned them the three point victory.    

Utica out rebounded Stevens 45-39 on the afternoon and the Pioneers netted 13 points off of turnovers.  Senior forward Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) totaled 11 rebounds and six points for Utica, while Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) added six points and five rebounds.  Kelsey Cowell (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen), Ashley Mayo (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) and Ashelyne Babb (Lynn, MA/Winthrop) each added four points for the Pioneers.