UTICA, N.Y. – The Alfred University women's basketball team extended its win streak to four after a narrow 62-59 victory over Utica University on Saturday. 

Jaidyn Chest (Mayfield, N.Y./Mayfield), Natalee Collins (Waterville, N.Y./Waterville) and Jayda L. Felker (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) each led the Saxons (10-5, 4-2 Empire 8) with 12 points. Collins added a game-high 13 rebounds for her third double-double of the season, fourth in her career. Meanwhile, Felker registered a career-high four steals. Jessica Beehler (Dunkirk, N.Y./Dunkirk) finished with 10 points while matching her season-high nine boards and dishing out four assists. 

"We played really hard and thankfully weathered the storm in the second half to hang on and win," head coach Mike Moskowitz said. "Natalee had some really solid defensive minutes against #11 who's a very good player. That kind of set the tone. The rest of the crew who played in the fourth made some big plays late to help us pull out the win on the road." 

Alfred University led in the early stages of the first quarter. Utica University went on a 9-2 run that stretched into the second quarter to get in front, 18-17. Felker scored a layup at 8:28 that ignited a 20-6 run to get back in front by double-digits going into halftime, 37-24. Alfred University shot 10-of-22 (.455) in the second. The Saxons also outscored the Pioneers, 32-16, in the paint and notched 12 points off 11 turnovers in the first half. 

In the final five minutes of the third quarter, Utica University tallied 12 unanswered points to cut the visiting team's lead back to single digits in the early stages of the fourth, 46-43.

Collins and Chest contributed back-to-back layups to extend the Saxons' advantage. Felker added two buckets while Beehler shot a pair of free throws to make a 56-50 game with 3:49 left.

The Pioneers got within two with a minute left in the game. But the Saxons would make crucial plays down the stretch. Collins got the rebound off a missed three point shot by Beehler and put it back in for a basket, 58-54.

The rest of the contest was spent at the free-throw line. Chest and Grace Rittenhouse (Dansville, N.Y./Dansville) each notched a free throw to keep Alfred University up by three, 60-57. Out of a timeout after Utica University made it a one-point game in the final second, Chest earned another chance at the charity stripe and made two free throws to ice the victory. 

The Saxons shot 27-of-74 (.365) compared to the Pioneers' 24-of-65 (.369). 

Alfred University had the 48-38 advantage in the paint and 13 points off 13 turnovers by Utica University. In addition, the Saxons tallied 17 points on the fast break and 12 off 12 offensive rebounds. 

Up next, Alfred University gets ready for another road trip as it travels to take on SUNY Geneseo at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.