ROCHESTER, NY -- The third-seeded Utica College women's basketball team fell in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament to second-seeded Sage, 82-75, despite leading several times throughout the course of the contest. Senior Nicolette Conkin (Los Altos, CA/Homestead) led her squad's offense, posting a career-high 37 points.
The pair traded three-pointers to open the contest, before Sage opened a five-point lead. Battling back, UC knotted the game at 10 on a made-three by Petrina DeMarco (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro). An unfortunate run by the Gators ignited the Pioneers, who then went on an 11-point run to close out the first quarter, leading 21-18. DeMarco had 11 points through the stretch, while Conkin added eight of her own.
Quarter two saw a handful of lead changes, with Utica coming out on top heading into halftime. It was Conkin who sunk the final bucket, one from behind the arc to help her squad to a 34-33 lead.
Conkin extended UC's lead on a pair of free throws to open the third. She then went on a rampage, owning 10 of the Pioneers' 19 points in the quarter, adding a pair of three-pointers and a layup throughout the quarter. The Gators were able to post a large run, bringing itself within striking distance, 53-50 heading into the final period of play.
The final four minutes spelled the undoing of Utica's efforts, as Sage outshot Utica 32-22. DeMarco posted the final bucket of the contest, a three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining on the clock, forcing a Gator timeout.
Conkin, the Empire 8 Player of the Year, closed out her collegiate career in fashion with an insane point count. The senior sank seven buckets from the three-point land, while going 13-for-32 from the field for a 40.6 field goal percentage. She also added three rebounds and three assists to the stat sheet.
DeMarco was second in scoring with 13 points. Defensively, Sydney Przygoda (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) collected a team-best 12 rebounds. Kimberly Soriano (Queens, NY/Monsignor McClancy Memorial) led the squad in assists, with a mark of five.
The Pioneers had a remarkable season, making postseason play for the first time since the 2010-11 season. As their season comes to an end, they look to return 10 athletes to the 2020-21 roster, including first-teamer Pryzgoda.
