ALFRED, NY - The Utica University women's basketball team fell to Alfred University 67-63 in an Empire 8 battle that forced overtime.
 
McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) led the team with 13 points, nine rebounds, and three assists and was a fantastic 7-for-9 from the charity stripe. Hayleigh Lagase (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) was phenomenal, pouring in a new Pioneer career-high 12 points and a career-high 10 boards to secure her first double-double with Utica.
 
Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) added 11 points with four rebounds with Krissy Geraci (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) scoring nine points and grabbing seven rebounds. Haley Burchhardt (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) also dropped nine points and hauled in four rebounds. Julia Rotando (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) scored seven points with three rebounds and four assists.
 
The teams began the match each converting a pair of layups to have the score tied 4-4 just about two minutes into the first quarter. Haley Burchhardt (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) canned a triple and Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) scored a pretty and-one to give Utica a strong 10-4 edge at the 6:29 mark. Alfred started to claw back, tying the score at 12-12 yet Hayleigh Lagase (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) and McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) each scored three points over the last few possessions to give the team a 20-16 edge after one.
 
The Saxons came out firing and now trailed just 20-19 yet Krissy Geraci (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) was on fire nailing three jumpers to increase the team's lead to 26-19 about halfway through the frame. Alfred had a small scoring run to knot the score at 28-28 yet Lagase nailed a clutch three-pointer to aid Utica in grasping a 31-28 advantage at the half.
 
Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) started the second half with a pair of layups to increase the Pioneers lead to 35-28 with 6:40 remaining in the third quarter. Utica kept attacking the paint as McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) hit a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 37-30. Yet, the Saxons rallied with a nine point scoring run to hold a slim 39-37 edge with just 1:40 left in the quarter. The Pioneers retook a 41-39 lead, yet an Alfred four-point play gave the Saxons a 43-41 lead after three frames of play.
 
Utica quickly tied the game 43-43 in the fourth quarter with a Geraci layup at the 9:40 mark. However, the Saxons started to heat up from beyond the arc hitting four three-pointers to grab a firm 55-45 edge with just over six minutes to play. Yet, the Pioneers were clutch as a Julia Rotando (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) three-pointer and McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) and-one knotted the game at 57-57 and sent it into overtime.
 
The Saxons splashed a triple to begin overtime, yet Lagase nailed a pair of free throws and a Burchhardt steal and fastbreak layup put Utica up 61-60 at the 3:47 mark. Alfred regained a 62-61 edge, yet a Geraci free throw tied the game at 62-62. The Saxons retook a 65-62 lead with an and-one at the 1:50 mark. Utica rallied yet Alfred held on for a 67-63 overtime win. 

Utica (4-11, 1-5 Empire 8) will return home and host Hartwick College on Tuesday, January 23 at 5:30 p.m.