The Bombers cut Utica's 10-point second-half lead to three with 4:37 remaining but got no further as the Pioneers (17-6, 8-4 Empire 8) clinched an Empire 8 Championship Tournament bid with their first win ever at Ithaca.
Senior forward Jill Post (Oxford Academy/Oxford) led Ithaca with 15 points. Junior guard Sue Kelly (Betlehem/Delmar) added 12 points. Senior forward Megan Micho (Westhill/Syracuse) paced the Bombers with seven rebounds.
Senior forward Corina Rustmann (E.O. Smith/Storrs, Conn.) came off the bench to score a game-high 16 points and freshman guard Mallory Davis (Rockville/Vernon Rockville, Conn.) added 14 off the bench. Junior forward Ava Thomas (St. Raymond's/Bronx) pulled down 19 rebounds helping the Pioneers to a 45-32 rebounding advantage.
Newspaper Box Score Utica College vs Ithaca 02/17/06 6 p.m. at Ben Light Gymnasium (Ithaca, N.Y.) At Ben Light Gymnasium (Ithaca, N.Y.) UTICA COLLEGE 57, ITHACA 47 UTICA COLLEGE (16-6, 8-4 E8) Rustmann, Corina 6-14 4-6 16; Davis, Mallory 3-8 8-12 14; Frament, Whitney 1-8 6-6 9; Thomas, Ava 4-11 1-3 9; Ironside, Michelle 2-5 0-0 4; Christiani, Karen 1-3 0-0 3; Danzinger, Dana 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 18-51 19-27 57. ITHACA (10-13, 7-5 E8) Jill POST 6-15 3-4 15; Sue KELLY 3-14 4-6 12; Megan MICHO 2-6 1-2 5; Erika STEELE 2-6 0-0 4; Molly FRIEL 1-3 2-2 4; Erin SANVIDGE 1-4 0-0 3; Brynn FESSETTE 0-4 2-2 2; Molly BRENNAN 1-3 0-0 2; Lauren KUSY 0-1 0-0 0; Meg OLENOWSKI 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-56 12-16 47. Utica College................. 28 29 - 57 Ithaca........................ 25 22 - 47 3-point goals-Utica College 2-12 (Christiani, Karen 1-3; Frament, Whitney 1-6; Danzinger, Dana 0-1; Davis, Mallory 0-1; Rustmann, Corina 0-1), Ithaca 3-12 (Sue KELLY 2-6; Erin SANVIDGE 1-2; Brynn FESSETTE 0-2; Jill POST 0-2). Fouled out--Utica College-Davis, Mallory, Ithaca-None. Rebounds-Utica College 45 (Thomas, Ava 19), Ithaca 32 (Megan MICHO 7). Assists-Utica College 8 (Thomas, Ava 4), Ithaca 11 (Erin SANVIDGE 3). Total fouls-Utica College 15, Ithaca 23.