Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Six players finished in double-figures as the Utica College women's basketball team came back to beat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 81-73, this evening in non-conference play from East Campus Arena. With the win, the Pioneers improve to 1-2 on the season, while the Engineers drop to 1-2.

Utica jumped out to an early 8-0 lead and held an 18-8 edge, just 4:16 into the contest. The Engineers then stormed back with a 23-0 run that spanned 7:35, leaving the hosts with a 31-18 advantage. A lay-up from sophomore Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) halted the run for the Pioneers.

A three-pointer by Utica junior Marissa Kahane (Sayville, NY/Sayville) cut the RPI lead to 33-28 with 5:56 left in the first half, before the Engineers answered on a triple from junior Courtney Reynolds (San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo).

Back-to-back hoops from sophomore Ashley Cough (West Chesterfield, VT/Keene) and junior Michelle Reid (Derry, NH/Pinkerton Academy) pushed the RPI lead to 40-30 with under three minutes to play in the half, before Utica's Samantha Stayer (Allegany-Linestone/Allegany) scored from in close to draw within eight (40-32). Clough immediately answered with a three, before Kahane closed out the scoring in the half with a pair of free throws, to make it 43-34 at the break.

Clough scored 12 of her game-high 20 in the opening 20 minutes, while hauling in eight of her 10 rebounds.

The second half started slowly, as it took 1:26 before RPI freshman Lauren Young netted the first points of the frame, on a jumper from the wing.

Utica then began chipping away at the Rensselaer lead, eventually drawing even at 51-51, with 12:16 to go. A pair of free throws by Kahane gave the Pioneers their first advantage (53-51) since early in the first half.

The two teams traded baskets until the 11:37 mark, when Stayer converted a three-point play after taking a feed from senior Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) to put the visitors up 62-57. Utica then opened up a 67-59 lead with 6:40 remaining, after Kahane hit a driving lay-up. RPI responded with back-to-back buckets from Clough and senior Zysnia Osepa (Melrose, NY/Tamarac), to pull within 67-63.

Following another three-ball by Miceli, Rensselaer fought back with scores from Lynch and Clough to make it 70-67 with 4:09 left. The Pioneers then closed out the game on a 13-6 run, breaking the RPI press for easy baskets, to put the game out of reach.

The Engineers return to the court this weekend, when they play in the Amherst College Tip-Off Tournament. RPI opens against the host Jeffs on Saturday (6pm), before playing either Ithaca College or Farmingdale State on Sunday (2pm).