Utica 63, Hartwick 52 - Box Score
| Jessica Berry is less than 50 points away from
reaching the 2,000-point milestone as well. Utica athletics file photo by Larry Pacilio |
UTICA, N.Y. – Senior forward Jessica Berry became the second player in program history to collect 1,000 rebounds in a career as the Utica women's basketball team defeated visiting Hartwick 63-52 in an Empire 8 Conference contest Tuesday night. Berry now has 1,008 career rebounds. She needs just 42 points to become the 12th player in the history of the NCAA Division III women's basketball to score more than 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds.
With the win the Pioneers improved to 11-9 overall and more
important they advanced to 7-4 in conference play. Hartwick has now
lost three of its last four games and dropped to 7-12 overall and
4-7 in the E8.
Hartwick led for the majority of the first half and held a
commanding seven point lead, 16-9, with 8:05 to go before the half.
The Pioneers answered with a 14-3 run before the half to earn a
four point advantage with 1:14 to go. The Hawks were able to
convert on a lay up before the half and the score was cut to 23-21
as the buzzer sounded. Both teams shot exactly 39.1 percent from
the floor (9-of-23) in the low scoring first half.
UC slowly pulled away in the second half to earn the 11 point
victory. The Pioneers held a two point advantage with 3:38 to go in
the contest but the Pioneers converted on 14 free throws and held
Hartwick to just five points in the final 3:13 of play to seal the
victory.
Berry finished the day with a game-high 15 points and 11 rebounds,
while sophomore forward Meghan
Fiore added 14 points and ten rebounds. Senior guard
Stephanie
Nara caught fire from 3-point land and scored a
season-high 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor. Junior
point guard Katie
McGee and freshman guard Alyssa
Filkins each netted eight points, while senior guard
Devon
Croll added six points and dished out a game-high seven
assists.
Kate Purcell and Maria Foglia led the way for the Hawks with ten
points a piece. Lee Arduini came off the bench and scored a
team-high 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Hartwick shot a dismal 31.1
percent from the floor on the evening.
The Pioneers will return to the hardwood on Friday night when they
travel to Alfred University to take on the Saxons in a conference
contest at 6 p.m.
--- www.ucpioneers.com ---