Junior forward Meagan Sudik netted the game-winner just under two minutes into the overtime period as the Utica College women's hockey team defeated visiting Chatham 3-2 in the first of a two game ECAC Women's West Conference weekend set Saturday night. Freshman Meghan MacMahon and junior Becky Heim assisted on the game-winner. The Pioneers netted the game's final two goals to improve to 15-0 all-time against the Cougars.

With the win UC snapped a two-game slide and is now 3-4 overall on the year, while Catham dropped to 0-5. The Pioneers were outshot 27-26 on the day, but Utica senior goalie Jill Doherty stopped 25 shots in her third victory of the year.

UC junior forward Jodie Galluzzi netted her second goal of the season to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead with 3:52 to go in the first period of play. Junior's Samantha Glockling and Lynny Gonzales each recorded an assist on Galluzzi's opening goal.

Chatham answered with two straight goals within 21 seconds of each other to take a 2-1 lead 9:21 into the second period of play. Kelsey LaHue and Leah McNaughton each netted their first goals of the season to put the Cougars up by one.

The Pioneers knotted the contest up at 2-2 just over three minutes later when junior Darcy Hier scored her second goal of the season, shorthanded, off a beautiful crossing pass from junior captain Lynny Gonzales at the 12:47 mark of the second period.

Both teams were held scoreless in the third period of play and the contest was sent to overtime with the score tied up at 2-2.

Sudik's game-winner came after a scrum in front of the net and she slid the puck past Chatham goalie Brenn Scott at the 1:36 mark of the overtime stanza.

Scott closed out the day with 23 saves in net for the Cougars.

Both teams return to the ice tomorrow at the Utica memorial Auditorium when they wrap up their two-game regular season series at 1 p.m.

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