UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's tennis team downed visiting Russell Sage College 9-0 in its regular season finale Saturday. 
 
The Pioneers picked up the No. 3 seed in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament and will host Hartwick College on Tuesday.  This marks the first time since 2006 that the Pioneers have qualified for the conference tournament. 
 
Freshman Ellen Collie (Harbor Springs, MI) remained undefeated in singles play as she won her match up in first singles 6-2, 6-0. Collie then teamed up with Ellen Lyga (New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame) to take down Kaitlyn Banks and Taylor Gillespie in first doubles.  The duo has not lost a doubles match since their very first collegiate match against Nazareth College on March 6.
 
Lyga defeated Taylor Gillespie 6-1, 6-0 in second singles, while Morgan Willis (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) won her match up against Claire Connolly in third singles by the score of 6-1,6-1.  Graduate student Bianca Bockhaus (Shenorock, NY/Somers) earned a thrilling win in fourth singles, downing Praescilla Daquin 6-3, 6-4.
 
Michela Marturano (Syracuse, NY) and Haley Dekin (Castorland, NY) rounded out the day with wins in fifth and sixth singles, respectively.  Willis and Bockhuas earned the win in second doubles (8-4) and Marturano and Dekin won their match up in third doubles by a score of 8-0.