The Utica College field hockey team travels to Hoboken, NJ Saturday for a semi-final match up in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament against second seeded Washington and Jefferson College at 2 p.m. The winner will play either Stevens or Nazareth in the final on Sunday. 

Last week, UC traveled to Washington, PA to challenge Washington and Jefferson in a pivotal conference game to determine who would be the tournament host. Utica lost to W & J, 4-1, so consequently Stevens is hosting because the Ducks beat the Presidents' in a head-to-head match up earlier in the season. The Pioneers, who beat top-seeded Stevens 1-0 at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium earlier in the year, were undefeated at 3-0 on their home turf in conference play during the regular season.

Junior Mallory Mariano (Oneida, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill) is UC's leading scorer with 20 points, including eight goals and four assists. Mariano has played in all 17 games for Utica while starting five. In the Empire 8 Conference, she is currently tied for second in shots (61), tied for fourth in goals (eight), and is fifth in points (20). Mallory was named Utica College's Female Athlete of the Week back in mid October for her efforts.

Senior Lindsey Jester (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent) has 19 points, including eight goals and three assists this season. She has started all 17 games for the Pioneers while tallying 30 shots on goal. Jester also had earned the College's Athlete of the Week status back in October and leads the team in conference play with half of her season goals coming against Empire 8 opponents.

Junior goalkeeper Monica Storms (Owego, NY/Owego) concluded the regular season with an overall record of 8-7, including a 4-1 record in conference play. She started in 16 of 17 games and tallied 107 saves, good enough for a save percentage of .787. Storms had a goals' against average of 1.71 and posted two shutouts.

Since Utica and W & J started competing against each other back in 2006, the Pioneers lead the series 3-2. In five games played against each other the teams have each scored ten goals.

The Pioneers finished their 2010 regular season with an overall record of 8-9, including a 4-2 mark in the Empire 8 Conference. This marks UC's first trip to the post-season since its appearance back on Nov. 9, 2005 when they made the NCAA Tournament. Utica lost to Babson College by a score of 5-2 in its first and only appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

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