UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's basketball team fell in a highly contested conference matchup to the Alfred University Saxons on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers fell by a score of 62-59. 
 
Leading the way for the Pioneers was Hayleigh Lagase (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan), who recorded her first double double of the season with 16 points (7-9 FG, 2-4 3PT) while nabbing 10 boards, adding seven assists, and swiping one steal. Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) and McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) each chipped in 13 points with Hall nabbing nine rebounds to Simmons' five. Both Hall and Simmons each tallied a block, while Hall added an assist and a steal to her stat line. Hanna Godkin (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes)g nabbed herself seven rebounds and added two steals on the afternoon. 
 
To open the contest it would be Hall that would break the ice for the Pioneers, scoring less than two minutes into the opening frame. Utica would be able to keep the pace with the Saxons throughout the frame, with Lagase hitting a dagger to put the Pioneers within striking distance early. The Saxons would find their footing towards the halfway mark in the quarter, pulling ahead by six, but a pair of made free throws from Kate Mahoney (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes) and a layup from Simmons would put the Pioneers behind by only one possession late. Utica would be unable to hold onto the momentum, giving up a layup to go into the second stanza down by four at 17-13. 
 
Lagase would hit another three in the early moments of the second stanza to put Utica within striking distance, to which she would then give Utica its first lead of the game with a layup moments later at 18-17. Alfred would respond with a layup in transition, but Mahoney would answer with a jumper inside the paint to give the Pioneers the lead once more. Alfred would turn the tides on Utica, going on a 7-0 run to pull ahead with half of the frame remaining. Hall would continue with a layup to put Utica within five, but it would not be enough as the Saxons would hold the Pioneers scoreless for the remainder of the second stanza, heading into the break with the advantage at 37-24. 
 
Coming out of the break, Utica's offense would spark with a three point play from Hall to cut the deficit to 10. The Pioneers would be able to find their footing, holding the fast-paced Alfred offense to only nine points throughout the third frame. Alfred would get out to as much as 13 in the frame, but Utica would be able to push the deficit to only eight after jumpers from Lagase and Hall, a free throw from Natalie Cornell (Greenwood, NY/Jasper-Troupsburg), and a layup from Simmons to close the third quarter at 46-38. 
 
The final frame would see a Utica offense that was poised to mount a comeback, outscoring the Saxons in the frame 21-16. Simmons would notch herself a three point plat to open the quarter, trimming the Alfred lead to only five, and would then capitalize with another layup to put the Pioneers within three. Both teams would trade blows, with Utica able to keep the Saxons within arms reach throughout the remainder of the half. The Pioneers would come within one with less than a second left courtesy of Godkin, but a foul from Mahoney would send Alfred to the charity stripe where a pair of made free throws would end it in favor of the Saxons by a score of 62-59. 
 
Utica (2-13, 0-6 Empire 8) returns to action on Friday, January 24 as the team takes on the Hartwick College Hawks. Tip off from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 5:30pm.