UTICA, NY – The Utica College women's basketball team lost to host Hartwick College 64-39 in Empire 8 Conference action on the road Wednesday night.  Utica was led by 12 points, five rebounds and three assists from sophomore Ashelyne Babb (Lynn, MA/Winthrop).

Utica (6-11, 1-7) looks to snap a seven game slide at home on Saturday when the Pioneers host Alfred University in conference play at 4 p.m.

Freshman Rachel Hunter (West Islip, NY/West Islip) came off the bench and chipped in with six points for Utica, while Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) and Calypso Carty (Pipersville, PA/Central Bucks West) each added five points.  Carty also hauled in a team-best eight rebounds.

Hartwick (7-10, 5-4 Empire 8) was led by 17 points and 12 rebounds from Jacqui Foreman, while Taylore Vonasek added 16 points and eight rebounds.

The Hawks used a 13-4 run in the final 5:29 of the first quarter of action to take a 21-11 advantage after ten minutes of play.  Hartwick then outscored UC 9-6 in a low scoring second quarter to take a 30-17 lead into the locker room at the half. 

The home team extended its lead to as many as 24 points, 44-20, midway through the third quarter, until the Pioneers worked an 11-3 run in the final 4:22 of the third to put a dent into their deficit as the third quarter horn sounded with the score set at 47-31. The Hawks maintained its double digit lead through the final ten minutes and earned the 25 point victory.

Alaina Tripp (Clyde, NY/Clyde-Savannah) added four points for UC and Amanda Henderson (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) also knocked down a 3-pointer to finish the night with three points in her first start of the season.