After a sluggish opening quarter of play, the SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team seized control in the second quarter and never looked back en route to a 60-40 win against Utica College in its home opener.  The win kept the Red Dragons perfect on the season at 3-0 while the loss for the Pioneers was its first of the new season.
 
Oneonta only made 3-of-10 shots in the first quarter and found themselves behind 14-9 after the first 10 minutes of play.  Briannah Florian and Ashley Mayo each had four points to pace Utica.
 
Trailing early in the second quarter, 17-11, the Red Dragons ran off 13 unanswered, which turned into a 19-2 burst that put them in control.  An old fashioned three-point play by junior Teresa Anken (Rome/Rome Free Academy) put Oneonta ahead to stay midway through the second period.
 
Oneonta scored the final six points of the second quarter to grab a commanding 30-19 lead at halftime.
 
Utica battled back in the third quarter outscoring the Red Dragons 16-12 to cut its deficit to 42-35.  Brigid Johndrow scored all five of her points in the third period to lead the Pioneers.
 
Utica drew a little closer to start the fourth quarter trailing by six points after a basket by Kimberly Soriano.  That would be as close as Utica would be for the rest of the contest, as the Red Dragons scored 16 unanswered to put the game out of reach.
 
Oneonta sophomore Alexa Amalbert (Nanuet/Nanuet) led all scorers in the game with 16 points.  Mayo led Utica with 10 points.
 
Oneonta will play at NYU this Sunday beginning at 3pm.