HOUGHTON, NY— Sydney Przygoda, Nicolette Conkin and Petrina DeMarco combined to score 58 points on Friday night as the Utica Pioneers pulled away in the final quarter to defeat the Houghton Highlanders, 68-60.
 
With 2:40 remaining in the first half, and the game tied, 27-27, Houghton's Brooke Lewandowski stole the ball and found Cori Beck, who drove the length of the court and gave the Highlanders the lead with a left-handed lay-in.  Utica answered with a layup from Brigid Johndrow before Conkin hit a single free throw with seven second remaining to put the Pioneers up by one at the half.
 
The teams continued to battle throughout the third quarter until an Alex Steele jumper and a Beck three-pointer gave Houghton a four-point lead with just over three minutes to play in the quarter.
 
Utica responded quickly, and 33 seconds left of the clock, and Houghton clinging to a one-point lead, the Pioneers' DeMarco nailed a three from the corner and Conklin hit a layup to put Utica up by four heading into the final quarter.
 
With two minutes to play in the game, the Pioneers led, 66-57, but Beck stripped her opponent and sank another three to pull Houghton within six.  That, however, would be as close as the Highlanders would come.  While they would stop the Pioneers two more times, they could not hit a shot to pull closer, and Przygoda sank a pair of free throws in the waning seconds to seal the game.  
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 60 | Utica – 68
Records: Houghton: 2-14 (0-5 Empire 8) | Utica: 11-6 (4-2 Empire 8)
Venue: The Nielsen Center, Houghton College | Attendance: 204

NOTABLE STATS
>> Beck finished with 13 points, nine rebounds (a season-high) and three assists.  She has now reached double-digit points in each of her last four games. Beck, who currently has 341 careers assists, needs only seven more to tie Charity O'Connor (1994-97) for third on the all-time leader board.
 
>> Hannah Cybart added eight points and a career-best seven assists for the Highlanders.
 
>> Przygoda collected 26 points (11 in the fourth quarter) and 10 rebounds, while Conkin added 17 points, four steals and six assists.  DeMarco posted 15 points and six rebounds.  The trio combined for 85 percent of the Pioneers' points.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders return to the Nielsen Center tomorrow afternoon for a matchup with the Sage College Gators at 4:00 p.m.