UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's tennis team picked up a pair of Empire 8 wins on Saturday as it downed Hartwick College and Alfred University both by 9-0 scores.  The Pioneers now improve to 3-2 on the year, marking their best start to a season in over a decade.
 
Utica 9, Hartwick 0- Game One Final
Freshmen Ellen Collie (Harbor Springs, MI) and Ellen Lyga (New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame) earned three points for the Pioneers as each picked up a win in their singles matches, winning first and second singles, respectively.  The duo then
 
Collie took her first set against Hartwick's Jade Killikelly 6-2, but Killikelly made it interesting in the second set, forcing a tie-breaker.  Collie managed to hold on to win the tiebreaker 7-4 to take set two 7-6, remaining undefeated in singles play.  Lyga meanwhile made quick work of her singles match coming away with a 6-0, 6-0 victory. 
 
Bianca Bockhaus (Shenorock, NY/Somers) won her match in third singles by the score of 6-3, 6-1 while Haley Dekin (Castorland, NY) won her match in fourth singles 6-1, 6-0.
 
Morgan Willis (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) and Bianca Bockhaus (Shenorock, NY/Somers) won second doubles 8-1. 
 
Utica 9, Alfred 0- Game Two Final
The second match was a continuation of the first as Collie and Lyga each won their singles matches and teamed up for the win in first doubles. 
 
Willis cruised to an 8-0 win in third singles, while Michele Marturano earned a thrilling 9-8 win in fourth singles.  Willis and Bockhaus picked up another doubles victory, this time coming away with an 8-2 victory.
 
The Pioneers wrap up the regular season next Saturday as they host Russell Sage College.  The match is set to begin at 12 p.m.