Women's Basketball | 11/23/2024 6:59:00 PM
WESTFIELD, MA - The Utica University women's basketball team earned its first win of the season following a 69-58 victory over the Wellesley College Blue in the consolation game of the Westfield Gas and Electric Tip Off Tournament, hosted by Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon. The team's win served as the 300th career win for Head Coach Michele Davis.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was McKenzie Simmons, who notched her first double-double of the season with 23 points (8-16 FG, 1-3 3PT, 6-6 FT), and 10 rebounds. Simmons also added three steals, one assist, and one block to her stat line. Vanessa Hall put together another solid outing for the Pioneers, netting 19 points (7-15 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-6 FT) and hauling in six rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal. Hayleigh Lagase had a solid defensive outing with nine total rebounds and added four assists, while Hanna Godkin, Emma Simmons, and Kate Mahoney each recorded a steal.
The opening frame would see Utica get out on an 8-0 run early courtesy of a pair of threes from Lagase and Simmons, and a layup from Lagase. It would be over 4 minutes elapsed in the opening quarter where the Blue would be able to get on the board. The Pioneers would continue the offensive pressure, once again getting themselves a 7-0 run courtesy of buckets from Hall and Simmons to get the Utica lead to 12 before letting Wellesley score. Utica would be able to get the lead up to as much as 14 in the remainder of the opening frame, holding Wellesley to only nine total points in the first stanza, with Utica up 21-9 going into the second frame.
The second frame would see both teams fight over possession of the ball for just under two minutes until a foul by the Blue would send Hall to the line for the first points of the frame to bring the Utica lead to 13. The Blue would put up a good fight, trying to cut into its deficit, but the Pioneers would continue to refute their offensive efforts, despite being outscored in the second stanza. The Pioneers would get the lead up to as much as 15 in the second frame, courtesy of a jumper from Natalie Cornell, with just over two minutes remaining before the halftime break. A pair of free throws by the Blue and a layup as time was expiring to cut the Utica lead to 11 and send the Pioneers into the halftime break up 32-21.
Coming out of the halftime break, the Pioneers would allow the Blue back into the game, cutting the deficit to nine with the first score of the half coming just under a minute into the frame. The Pioneers would respond with a three from Carly Atty, a pair of free throws from Hall, and a layup from Simmons to keep the double digit lead with just under three minutes gone in the frame. From there the Blue would go on a 7-0 run to cut the Utica lead to seven with just about three and a half minutes remaining in the third stanza before the Pioneers would swing the momentum back into their favor and bring the lead back to double digits and then some, closing out the third quarter up by 18 at 51-33.
The final frame would see the Pioneers continue to fight with the Blue as over two and a half minutes would elapse before either team would be able to net a point. Despite the slow start, the Pioneers would continue to maintain the lead, only allowing Wellesley to come within as little as seven for the remainder of the game, walking away with Head Coach Michele Davis' 300th career win by a score of 69-58.
Utica (1-4, 0-0 Empire 8) returns to action following the Thanksgiving break to take on the SUNY Delhi Broncos in the team's Faculty/Staff Appreciation game as well as Girl Scout Day on Monday, December 2. Tip off from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 5:30 PM.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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