UTICA, N.Y. – Russell Sage College's women's basketball team almost snapped the Pioneers' win streak on Saturday as they faced Utica College on the road in Empire 8. Utica escaped with a 55-54 win to extend their win streak to four game as they improve to 16-2 overall and 7-2 in the league. The loss puts the Gators at 9-10 overall and 5-5 in the Empire 8.
Utica held a 25-24 lead at the break in a tight contest that featured five ties and four lead changes. With the game tied at 43-43 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, Utica would go on a 12-5 run and hold a 55-48 lead with 3:13 left to play. The Gators clawed their way back as rookie guard Lauren Sanderson (Ravena, NY/RCS) added a pair of field goals along with senior guard Meghan Murray (Watervliet, NY/Watervliet) as they cut the lead to just three (55-52, 1:56).
Senior forward Kyra Oeffler (Green Island, NY/Heatly) added a lay-up at 1:13 to cut UC's lead to just one point, 55-54. A missed layup by UC's Sydney Przygolda and a defensive rebound by Oeffler gave the ball to the Gators in the final minute of play. A Gator turnover at 0:41 and a missed Pioneer jumper gave the ball back to the Gators with just 13 seconds left in regulation. A missed three-point shot by Oeffler with just two seconds left to play sealed the outcome as Utica triumphed, 55-54.
For the game, Murray led the Gators with a double-double on 14 points with 13 rebounds marking her third double-double of the year. Sanderson led the Gators with her 15 points including three baskets from three-point range. Oeffler had 10 points with four steals and six rebounds for RSC as they were a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line in the contest.
Senior guard Sammy Pasinella (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville), who was named the Empire 8 Conference/E8 Player of the Week on Monday, added five assists with two steals and three points in the contest. Pasinella now has 721 career points which puts her in a tie for 19th on the all-time scoring list at RSC with Elizabeth Boland (1983-1987). She also ranks sixth with her 106 career three-point baskets. Her 168 career assists is 15th as well now. Oeffler stands 12th in career blocks, as she now has 39, while has now played in 69 career games and ranks 31st all-time in appearances.
Utica's Cora Sawyer led all players with her 20 points including 11 in the second half as she was 9-9 from the line with eight rebounds. Bridig Johndrow connected for 18 points with three three-pointers, while Przygoda was co-high rebounder with Sawyer with eight boards each.
Looking ahead, RSC is slated to play at Nazareth on February 4 in a road Empire 8 contest at 5:30 p.m.
Notes: Senior guard Sammy Pasinella (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville), a first-team All-Conference pick last season, averaged 18.3 points on 40.5 percent shooting across three games last week...She equaled a program record with eight made three-pointers on Jan. 18 vs. Utica… A Gator has earned E8 Rookie of the Week honors three times this season… Freshman guard Syrita Faraj (Troy, NY/Tamarac) took home the accolade twice (11/15, 12/6), while guard Lauren Sanderson (Ravena, NY/RCS) was selected on 1/17.
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