UTICA, NY - The Utica College women's basketball team celebrated its seniors prior to today's game against the No. 23 St. John Fisher Cardinals but was bested by its nationally ranked opponent 69-39. 
 
Fisher began the game on a 7-0 run over the course of the first three minutes before Utica found the scoreboard. A Petrina DeMarco (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) three and Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic) jumper in the span of 20 seconds broke the offensive ice for UC. However, the Cardinals would outscore the Pioneers 9-3 to end the first quarter up 16-8. 
 
The Utica offense started off cold in the second quarter as Fisher refused any separation between defender and ball carrier. The Pioneers shot 6-for-16 in the second before entering the half behind 31-16. 
 
The Cardinals kept momentum in the second half scoring 38 points over the final 20 minutes while UC was held to 23 points on 32 percent shooting from the floor. For the game, Utica was outrebounded 48-31 while Fisher controlled the paint on both ends of the floor, scoring 38 points in the paint on offense to UC's 24. 
 
DeMarco led Utica with 11 points while shooting 50 percent from three. She also recorded a game-high four steals. Johndrow netted eight points on the day she was honored as a senior and teammates Hannah Stack (Dogleville, NY/Dolgeville) and Julianna Beaulieu (Chicopee,MA/Chicopee Comprehensive) scored six points each off the bench. 
 
UC (18-5, 9-5 Empire 8) wraps up its regular season on the road next weekend with a meeting with Houghton College on Friday and Alfred University on Saturday.