The Utica College field hockey team defeated visiting
Elmira College 3-2 in the Empire 8 Conference season opener for both teams Sunday. Senior forward
Katie Kutas (New York Mills/New York Mills) tallied all three goals for the Pioneers as they snapped a two-game losing streak.
The Soaring Eagles struck first, netting a goal after 16:30 minutes into the first half. Midfielder Jennifer Heydt knocked a swift shot past goalie
Amanda McDonnell (Portsmouth Abbey/Sagamore Beach, MA) during a penalty stroke to put Elmira up 1-0.
Utica quickly responded a minute and a half later with a goal of their own. Kutas received a pass from teammate
Sarah Keller (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown, PA) to knock in her first goal of the game. The first half came to a close with the score knotted at 1-1.
Kutas and the Pioneers came out strong at the start of the second half scoring less than two minutes into play. Kutas sent the ball to the back of the net after receiving an assist from junior midfielder
Elizabeth Knudsen (Rome Free Academy/Rome). Kutas' second goal of the game put Utica up 2-1.
The Eagles then scored 26:26 into the second half when Kelsey Burke knocked in her first goal of the year. Heydt registered the assist as Elmira evened the score at two apiece.
Finally, with less than five minutes to play, Kutas knocked home a rebound off a shot from Keller to execute the game-winning goal. The impressive hat trick brought Kutas to five goals on the year and gave Utica the homecoming victory.
Utica outshot Elmira 27-10 and additionally held a 9-4-penalty corner advantage by the end of play.
McDonnell tallied eight saves, giving up only two goals, to record the win. Elmira's Jalene McCulloch prevented 18, but suffered the loss. With the victory, UC improves to 3-5 overall and is now undefeated in conference play, while Elmira drops to 0-6.
The Pioneers return to action on Saturday, Sept. 27 when they visit Washington & Jefferson College for a 1 p.m. match up.
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