UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's basketball team fell to rival SUNY Poly 69-53. The loss was Utica's first of the season after the team started off 4-0.
 
Poly led early with a 9-7 edge before Utica led 12-9 off a fastbreak three-pointer from Haley Burchhardt (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont). The Wildcats hit a three-pointer of their own to even the score at 12-12 before ending the first quarter with a 24-15 advantage thanks to another pair of threes.
 
Madelyn Cozzens (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) and Krissy Geraci (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) each recorded a layup to cut the Wildcat lead to 10 in the beginning of the second frame. A pair of clutch three-pointers from Kimberly Soriano (Queens, NY/Monsignor McClancy Memorial) helped the Pioneers cut the Wildcat edge to just 33-29 with under two minutes left to play in the half. Yet, Poly responded with a seven-point scoring run to take a 40-29 lead into the break.
 
Poly began the third quarter with more scoring and led 47-32 halfway through the quarter. The Pioneers would cut into the lead and make it a 50-41 game, yet the Wildcats ended the third up 56-44. Poly held on to win the game 69-53 while handing Utica its first loss of the season.
 
Utica shot 6-22 from beyond the three-point line and 18-53 from the field while allowing 27 points off of turnovers.
 
The Pioneers scoring efforts were led by Soriano and Geraci. Soriano totaled 15 points including shooting 4-9 from beyond the three-point line. Geraci added 14 points with three rebounds and two assists on 7-13 shooting from the field. Petrina DeMarco (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) filled the stat sheet with five points, five rebounds, and three assists, and one steal and did well setting up the offense.
 
Utica (4-1, 0-0 Empire 8) will travel to face Russell Sage College in its first Empire 8 game of the season on Friday, December 2 at 5:30 p.m.