HOUGHTON, NY --  The Utica College women's basketball team lost to host Houghton College 72-63 in Empire 8 Conference action on Friday night. UC junior guard Ashley Mayo (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) led all scorers with a career-high 28 points and she also nabbed nine rebounds as the Pioneers dropped their third in a row.

Utica's record moved to 6-16 overall and 4-9 in Empire 8 play headed into Saturday when the Pioneers wrap up a four game road trip at Alfred University (2 p.m.). Houghton's record improved to 11-11 overall and 5-8 in the Empire 8.

Mayo's career night was guided by an 11-for-20 shooting effort from the floor.  She also chipped in three steals and knocked down three 3-pointers. Mayo has scored in double figures in nine of her last 11 starts and she is now averaging 14.3 points per game this season.

The Pioneers fell into a 13-4 hole to open the contest and the host Highlanders earned the nine point lead after Madison Detwiler converted a layup at the 5:53 marker of the first quarter.  UC closed out the first quarter on a 13-5 run to cut its deficit to just two points, 19-17 after ten full minutes of action.

The Pioneers trailed by four in the early portion of the second quarter until they went on a 15-4 run to take a seven point lead, 32-25, with 6:38 remaining before the half. Utica's second half run was keyed by a clutch 3-pointer from junior Ashelyne Babb (Lynn, MA/Winthrop).  Babb finished the night with nine points. Utica held the lead for the remainder of the first half and earned a 40-35 advantage as the halftime horn sounded.

The third quarter featured three lead changes until the Highlanders netted two consecutive buckets and pushed its lead to six points 54-48, with 1:22 left. Utica cut its deficit to just two points on two occasions in the fourth quarter.  UC made it a 56-54 ball game with 7:07 left in regulation after Rachel Hunter (West Islip, NY/West Islip) made a layup. The Highlanders extended its lead back to five, but Mayo made a big 3-pointer, and the Pioneers trailed by two, 63-61 with 2:26 remaining.

That would be as close as the Pioneers would get, and Houghton netted seven free throws in the final 1:09 of the contest to earn the nine point conference victory.

Alaina Tripp (Clyde, NY/Clyde-Savannah) finished the night with six points and four rebounds for Utica, while Hunter also added six points, four rebounds and two assists. Calypso Carty (Pipersville, PA/Central Bucks West) was 2-for-4 from the field and registered six points off the bench for the Pioneers.

Elle Reed and Madison Detwiler paced the Highlanders with 22 and 20 points, respectively. Detwiler also posted seven rebounds and four blocks.  Brittany Lenart added 13 points and three assists for the home team.

UC shot 62% from the floor in the first half, but could not keep up the pace as it converted 8-of-32 field goal opportunities in the final 20 minutes. Houghton made 14-of-17 free throws on the afternoon, helping to seel the Highlander victory.