UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's basketball team made history Monday night as it downed visiting Hamilton College 56-50 to improve to 9-0 on the season.  This marks the first time ever that the Pioneers have won each of their first nine games to start a season.
 
The Pioneers held a 28-26 lead at halftime, but a 16-6 third quarter outburst by the Continentals put Utica on its heels.  UC came out flying to start the fourth quarter, outscoring the visitors 9-4 through the first 3:56.  A clutch three-pointer by Petrina DeMarco (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) with 3:42 remaining gave the lead back to Utica and another three by DeMarco with just 1:50 left put the game out of reach.  When all was said and done, the Pioneers outscored Hamilton 22-8 in the final frame. 
 
DeMarco finished with 12 points on the evening on 4-of-8 shooting from behind the arc.  Three of her four baskets came in the fourth quarter.  Graduate student Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic) led the squad with 13 points and six steals and she tied for the team-lead with four assists. 
 
Senior Sydney Przygoda (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) picked up her fifth double-double of the season as she finished with 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.  Przygoda also had five steals to her credit.  With 11 points on the evening Przygoda inches closer to the 1,000-point milestone for her career.  She now needs just 13 points to become the 14^th player in program history to record 1,000 points in her career.
 
Senior Cora Sawyer (New London, CT/New London) also totaled 10 points and added four assists and eight boards, including seven off the defensive glass. 
 
The Pioneers look to carry their momentum into Empire 8 Conference play as they host Elmira College on Friday (5:30 p.m.) followed by a meeting with Keuka College on Saturday at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at the Harold T. Clark Athletic Center.