The Utica College field hockey team (8-9) lost to nationally-ranked No. 11 Skidmore College (14-3) Saturday, 5-1, at Thoroughbred Field. With the loss the Pioneers close out their 2009 campaign with a record of 8-9 overall and 3-3 in Empire 8 Conference play. Utica College was out shot by Skidmore 24-5 on the day. Skidmore scored three goals in the first half on 18 shots and scored two in second half on six shots.
UC netted its lone goal of the contest at 44:08 in the second period. The Pioneers' goal was scored by Hayley Coon (Taberg, NY) and assisted by Sarah Keller (Elizabethtown, PA). Hayley Coon and Mallory Mariano (Vernon, NY) each had two shots during the game. There was also one defensive save for Utica College made by Shannon Moats. UC goaltender Monica Storms (Owego, NY) had 13 saves and played the whole game.
Utica College has two seniors on the team that will not be retuning next season. Shannon Moats played all four years for Utica's field hockey team. In 2009, Moats was third in scoring with nine points and second in goals with four. She played in 15 of 16 games and had a shot percentage of .667. Shannon led the team in defensive saves with five out of the team's total seven. Elizabeth Knudsen (Rome, NY) played in 14 of 16 games for the Pioneers. She was fourth in assists on the team and had six total points.
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