Box Score

Postgame Interview - Erica Guketlov

HOBOKEN, N.J. (January 3, 2014) – The Stevens Institute of Technology notched its first victory of 2014 in the Empire 8 Conference opener against Utica College on Friday evening after a month away from competition. Stevens used a 20-6 run to start the second half to come away with the 62-52 home win to improve to 6-2 overall, while Utica fell to 4-5.

After the Pioneers closed out the first half with a 32-31 lead over the Ducks, Stevens came out of the locker room and put the contest away over an 8:24 span in the second half with the 20-6 run. During the run, senior Avis Benjamin (Queens, N.Y.) and sophomore Miranda Ripken (Fallston, Md.) combined for 11 points. Ripken netted six of her 10 points during the run and Benjamin notched five of her 11.

Benjamin also grabbed five rebounds with three blocks, while Ripken shot 5-for-12 from the field and dished out a game-high six assists.

Freshman Hannah Brophy (Bridgewater, N.J.) tallied four points in the run and totaled six in the game, while classmates Erica Guketlov (Spotswood, N.J.) and Ruth Waters(Ripon, Calif.) accounted for the other five points.

Brophy chipped in six boards off the bench, while Guketlov poured in a team-high-tying 12 points, all on three pointers, with six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Sophomore Katilyn Astel (Staten Island, N.Y.) contributed 12 points for the Ducks in a reserve role and netted six of her 14 shots on the evening. Astel also snatched eight boards.

Utica was led by Mary Miceli who scored 15 points on 19 shots. The Pioneers also received a combined 34 rebounds from Bridget Greenwald (13), Samantha Stayer (11) and Kelsey Cowell (10). Stayer added 12 points for a double-double.

Stevens held Utica to just 25.4-percent shooting from the field (16-for-63), while the Ducks were 27-for-74 (36.5%). The Ducks also forced 24 turnovers and scored 20 points off those giveaways. Utica did, however, outrebound Stevens, 55-46, with 23 coming on the offensive end, but only managed 24 points in the paint.

The Ducks are back home tomorrow at 5 p.m. against nationally ranked No. 18 Ithaca College in Hoboken. Tomorrow's game can be viewed via live stats, check back to see if the contest will be available on Empire8.tv.

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