UTICA, NY - The Pioneers hosted conference rival Nazareth University this weekend in hopes of bouncing back from a series of tough losses. Utica's McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) and Hayleigh Lagase (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) were stand out players tonight combining for more than half of the Pioneer's total points. Despite their impressive performances they could not stop the Golden Flyer's who have only had one loss on the season. The Pioneers fell by a score of 73-51. 
 
Utica's Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) also had a notable performance making it to the line three times, converting on all five attempts. Hall finished with 11 points, two rebounds, and one block. 
 
The Pioneers got things going quickly, with Hall opening the score just 30 seconds into the game. Despite scoring first, an organized Nazareth defense kept the Pioneers to just four points in the first six minutes of play. In the first quarter, the Pioneers struggled to contain the Golden Flyer's fast pace offense giving Nazareth a 20-5 lead. 
 
Nazareth's Madalyn Kelly opened the second quarter with a corner three, this would be her second of the game. At the end of the first half, Nazareth were in the lead 40-18. Lagase performed on both ends of the court shooting an impressive 60 percent from the field, registering six points and logging two rebounds. Hall trailed right behind with four points of her own, shooting a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line. The Golden Flyers were able to maintain their dynamic offense and man-to-man defensive play throughout the half making it hard for the Pioneers to close the gap. 
 
Simmons opened the scoring in the third with a bucket inside the paint. With six minutes to go in the quarter, Lagase and Simmons hit a pair of back-to-back three pointers to chip away at the deficit, bringing the score to 45-28. Two minutes later, Lagase drove to the rim and was fouled on the shot, she hit both free throws, bringing her to 13 points on the day and a stellar 70% from the field. 
 
In the fourth quarter, Simmons opened up scoring once again with a pair of free throws. After four consecutive defensive stops from the Pioneers, Utica's Hanna Godkin (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes) hit a mid-range jumper to bring the score to 55-43 in favor of Nazareth. With 6 minutes to go in the game, Hall was able to back down the Golden Flyer's center in the paint, drawing the foul and scoring. She went on to score the free throw, bringing the deficit to single digits. Despite the momentum created from Hall's offensive play, Nazareth was able to hang onto the lead for the rest of regulation, winning the game 73-51.
 
Utica (3-17, 1-10 Empire 8) returns to action on Friday, February 7 as the team travels to take on the Hartwick College Hawks. Tip off from Oneonta, NY is set for 5:30pm.