UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's basketball team fell in its season opener to Union College by a score of 74-44 on Friday evening.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was
Vanessa Hall (Independence, NY/Whitesville Central), who tallied 17 points (7-20 FG, 2-7 3PT, 1-3 FT), with two assists on the evening.
McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) followed with 13 points (5-13 FG, 3-4 FT), while adding a team high nine rebounds, team high four assists, and two steals on the evening.
Natalie Cornell (Greenwood, NY/Jasper-Troupsburg) managed to secure seven rebounds on the evening, also with a pair of assists and a steal. In her collegiate debut,
Madison LaDuke (Massena, NY/Massena Central) registered a pair of steals.
The opening frame would see the Pioneers keep pace with the Garnet Chargers, with four tied scores in the first five minutes of action. Union would be able to put up nine unanswered points in the remainder of the frame, ending the opening quarter with the Pioneers down 20-11.
The second quarter would see Union build the lead to 13, but the Pioneers would be able to cut the deficit to single digits with points from Simmons and Hall. Union would only be able to get out by 13 in the remainder of the frame, heading into the halftime break with the Pioneers down 35-22.
Coming out of the break, the Pioneers would struggle to find their footing in the opening minutes of the third, but would gain some momentum in the latter stages of the frame. Hall would get the scoring going for the Pioneers, and
Emma Simmons (Unadilla, NY/Sidney Central) would also get in on the action.
Despite the offensive momentum, the Pioneers would head into the final frame down 64-31.
The Pioneers would be able to find their footing in scoring in the final frame, as well as defensive momentum, outscoring the Garnet Chargers 13-10 in the final frame. Hall would once again get the scoring going for the Pioneers in the frame, while LaDuke would register her first collegiate point with a made free throw as time was running out.
Utica (0-1, 0-0 Empire 8) returns to action on Friday, November 14 as the team travels to take on the Plattsburgh State Tournament. Game one against SUNY Potsdam is set for 7:30pm.
