ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - Even though the Bard College women's basketball team rallied from a 10-point first half deficit to trail Utica College, 27-25, at halftime on Saturday, something had to change.

Utica outrebounded Bard 25-15 in the first half - including 16 offensive rebounds - and Tytravia Riley, one of the nation's top rebounders, had three at the break.

Well, something changed. Andra Moye sparked a 9-0 run by starting the second half with a three-pointer, and Bard never relinquished the lead again in a gritty 59-53 non-league victory. The Raptors, 1-24 a year ago, are 3-3.

Team defense and great shooting turned the tide in the second half, as Bard put together it's most complete game of the season so far. The run to start the second half gave Bard a 34-27 lead, and Utica (4-4) tried everything to scratch and claw its way all the way back but never quite got there.

That's because the Raptors held the Pioneers to 29 percent from the floor in the second half and shot 50 percent from the floor themselves. And every time Utica made a push - and there were several of them as the Pioneers cut the lead to four, four times - somebody responded with a key stop or a big shot for Bard.

The first time it was cut to four, with 13:13 left, Bianka Bell made a layup. The second time it was cut to four, with 8:16 left, Bell made a jumper. The third time it was cut to four, with 4:12 to go, Riley hit a three-pointer as the shot clock expired. And the last time it was cut to four, with 16 seconds left, Bell hit a pair of free throws.

It wasn't easy. Utica pressed and trapped and caused 24 turnovers, so Bard had to compose itself late, make foul shots, and make good decisions overall, whether it came to using more clock or not fouling late in the shot clock. All six of Bard's games so far have been decided by less than 10 points, and playing in those kind of pressure situations definitely helped on Saturday.

Utica got 15 points from junior Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY), and 11 points and 13 rebounds from graduate student Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ).

Bell led Bard with 19 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals. Riley scored 11 of her 17 points in the second half and finished with eight rebounds, three blocks and five steals. And freshman Gabriela Piercy asserted herself with a career-high 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting, 4-for-4 from the line. She was also a general pest on defense, and she brings tremendous energy every time she's on the floor. Senior Liz Freud added four points and nine rebounds, five of which came in the second half.

Bard will have a chance to go back above .500 on Tuesday night, when it hosts New Rochelle at 6. Follow that game via Live Stats or Live Video if you can't attend.