Box Score Box Score

UTICA, N.Y. - Three players reached double figures and the Rensselaer women's basketball team shot 50.8% from the floor to get past Utica in a non-league contest on Tuesday night.  With the victory, the Engineers improve to 3-3 and have now won their last two contests.  The homestanding Pioneers saw their record move to 4-3 overall.

Utica jumped out to an early lead as Meghan Fiore and Devon Croll combined to give the home team a 7-2 advantage just under three minutes into the contest.  RPI responded to pull it close, but the Pioneers pushed their lead to 10 (16-6) at the 13:31 mark and later went up by a 25-12 advantage with just 9:04 left before the Engineers mounted a comeback.

A three-pointer by Laura Easterling at 5:56 started the rally as RPI went on an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to tie things up at 29-all with 3:11 remaining.  Utica grabbed the lead once more, but a layup by Hillary McKinley tied it once more and the junior forward's next basket gave RPI its first lead of the contest (33-31) at the 1:47 mark.

The Engineers capitalized at the free throw line to build its lead as rookie Kelly Piotrowski and junior Sarah Wetmore each sank consecutive shots from the stripe to make it a 37-33 advantage for the visitors at halftime.

In the second half, freshman Kyleigh Oliveira came out ready for Rensselaer, sinking a basket quickly to open the stanza and adding a three-pointer minutes later as the visitors led by seven (46-33) with 17:23 left in the game.

RPI continued to hold onto its advantage and led by as many as 11 (56-45) at 8:04 after a jumper by McKinley.  Senior Linda Larsen, one of the reigning Liberty League Players of the Week, added to the Engineers efforts down the stretch, sinking a basket and nailing a three-pointer seconds later to make it a 16-point difference (65-49) with 3:07 left.

Hot shooting at the free throw line continued to help RPI's efforts as the Engineers went 8 of 8 (100%) from the charity stripe in the contest.

Leading the way for RPI was Wetmore, who poured in a team-best 18 points with six rebounds and five assists.  Larsen added 12 points, six assists and four steals, while McKinley had 16 points and a game-best eight rebounds.

For Utica, Jessica Berry recorded game-bests in points (21) and rebounds (8).  She also had two assists and five steals.  Meghan Fiore chipped in with 12 points, while Devon Croll added 11 points, going 3-for-3 from three-point range.

RPI is now idle until December 27th when it competes in the University of Redlands Holiday Tournament.  The Engineers will play three games over a span of four days, beginning with a 5pm tilt against California Lutheran University on the 27th.  Utica returns to the hardwood Friday as it opens up conference play against Stevens at home (6pm).