UTICA, NY – The Utica College women's basketball team outscored visiting Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 22-8 in the final 15:06 of the contest to rally from an eight point second half deficit as the Pioneers earned a 58-52 victory at the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium on Wednesday night.  Utica's Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) led the Pioneers with 15 points and six rebounds, while Samantha Stayer (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone) chipped in with 14 points and nine boards. 

Utica has now won three of its last four games and improved to 4-3 overall on the year.  The Pioneers will travel to Bard College on Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest. MCLA snapped a two game win streak and moved its record to 3-2 on the season. 

The contest featured six lead changes and eight ties until the Pioneers took the lead midway through the second half and never looked back.  The Trailblazers largest lead of the contest was 4:50 into the second half of play when they led the by eight points, 44-36.

The first half was back and forth and the contest was tied up at 30-30 at the half. MCLA opened the second half on a 14-4 run in a span of 4:06 to take its largest lead of the game, 44-36, at 15:10. Brayleigh Hanlon and Kayla Hotaling paced the Trailblazers with six points each in the stretch.  Hotaling paced the Trailblazers with 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks.

That's when the Pioneers answered with a 22-8 run to take over the game.  The UC defense held MCLA to 4-of-19 shooting and caused eight turnovers in the final 15 minutes of action. Stayer, Miceli and Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) combined for 15 points in the late push. 

Traglia finished the game with 12 points and three steals for the Pioneers.  Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) added six points and eight rebounds, while Ashelyne Babb (Lynn, MA/Winthrop) added four points, three steals, three assists and three rebounds in her first collegiate start for the Pioneers.