POTSDAM, N.Y.- The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (0-2) took on Utica College (1-0) Tuesday night in a non-conference match-up. A fourth quarter surge gave the Pioneers the 60-43 victory. Sophomore center Naya Walters (Bronx, N.Y. Women's Academy of Excellence) recorded her first career double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) with a game-high 13 points to pace the Bears. Nicolette Conkin, Brigid Johndrow and Sydney Przygoda tallied 13 points each for the Pioneers.
 
The Bears jumped out to an early 10-4 lead in the first quarter, getting six points from freshman guard Devyn Elliott (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman). The Pioneers fought back to take an 11-10 lead with a 3-pointer from Petrina DeMarco and a layup in transition from Johndrow following a steal. Potsdam responded to the run with a 3-pointer from senior guard Riley Luckie (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg) to retake the lead. Play would go back-and-forth for the remainder of the quarter, with the score at the end of the first quarter 17-16 Potsdam. Walters closed out the quarter with six points.
 
Luckie started the scoring for the Bears in the second quarter with her second 3-pointer of the game. Following consecutive defensive stops, Walters scored back-to-back buckets to put the Bears up by six. Utica struggled shooting, going 9-28 from the field in the first half, giving the Bears a 28-24 halftime lead. Walters finished the half with 12 points and six rebounds, while Luckie and Elliot dropped six points each for the Bears.
 
Johndrow opened the third quarter scoring for the Pioneers with a 3-pointer, pulling them within one. After a Potsdam turnover, Utica converted again in transition to take a one-point lead. Potsdam responded quickly with a layup from Elliot. The back-and forth scoring would continue for the remainder of the quarter, with continued hot shooting from Elliot and Conkin. The Pioneers held a 38-36 lead at the end of the third.
 
Utica started quickly in the fourth quarter, going on an 21-4 run to open a 19-point lead. The Bears would battle back at times, but could not cover enough ground as the Pioneers continued to hit shots. Utica outscored the Bears 22-7 in the final quarter, leading them to a 60-43 victory.
 
Elliot finished the game with 10 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore forward Nicole Hansen (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) chipped in six points and three rebounds off the bench.
 
Potsdam shot 34.7 percent from the field, while Utica shot slightly better at 38.6 percent from the floor.
 
The Bears will compete next at SUNY Canton's Kevin Fee Roos Classic this coming weekend, taking on SUNY Cobleskill on Saturday and the host Kangaroos on Sunday. Both games tip off at 1 p.m.