Utica, NY (February 4, 2014) – The Utica College women's basketball team lost to visiting St. John Fisher College 80-57 in Empire 8 Conference action at the Clark Athletic Center on Tuesday night.  Utica's Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) netted 23 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor (3-of-5 from 3-points land). Freshman Kelsey Cowell (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) tied her career-high with 15 rebounds and she also added eight points for the Pioneers.

Fisher shot 51% (29-of-56) from the floor and led for the majority of the contest (88.4%). Fisher score 17 points off of 19 Utica turnovers in the game. The Cardinals were led by 18 points from Portia Velasco, while Sydney Bloomstein (15), Camaryn Buckner (13) and Mary Kate Cusack (11) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Cardinals. 

The Pioneers opened up a 14-12 lead in the first 8:39 of the contest behind six points form Miceli and four from Samantha Stayer (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone).  Utica was 5-of-6 form the charity stripe in the opening stretch and the Pioneers caused five Fisher turnovers to start the game. 

Fisher answered with a 34-15 run to close the first half of play as the Cardinals took a commanding 46-29 lead into the locker room at the half.  Sydney Bloomstein, Portia Velasco and Camaryn Buckner combined for 27 points in the stretch. 

The visitors did not slow down in the second half as they used a 21-10 run in a stretch of 12 minutes to open up their largest lead of the game, 67-39, over the Pioneers with 8:00 left in regulation.

Utica was able to finish the contest on an 18-13 run in the final 6:32 of the contest but it proved to be too late as the Cardinals capped the evening with a 23 point advantage as the final horn sounded. 

Stayer finished the night with seven points, while Bridget Greenwlad also added eight points and seven rebounds for the home team.  Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) also chipped in with seven points for the Pioneers. 

Utica has lost seven in a row and dropped to 5-15 on the season and 0-11 in conference play.  The Cardinals snapped a two game slide and improved to 13-8 overall and 6-5 in conference play. 

Utica returns to the hardwood next Tuesday when it travels to Empire 8 provisional member Houghton College to take on the Highlanders at 8 p.m.