Box Score Utica 4, Nazareth 3 (2 OT) - Box Score

Utica, NY (10-1-11) – The Utica College field hockey team beat Empire 8 rival Nazareth, 4-3, Saturday morning in a double overtime thriller at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.  Freshman Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) had a career-high five points for the Pioneers, netting two goals including the game-winner.

Utica opened up the scoring at 14:17 when junior Allee Straub (Granville, NY/Granville) recorded her first goal of the season off a crossing pass from Steele-Norton.

Just over six minutes later, at 22:10, junior Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) netted her team-leading sixth goal of the season to give the home team a 2-0 lead.  The goal started on a corner attempt by senior Jessica Ahearn (Bangor, PA/Bangor) to UC's point leader Mallory Mariano (Oneida, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill) (14), who assisted Mackey. 

Shortly after, Mackey cleared a long pass to Mariano who hit Steele-Norton in stride and found the back of the net between the legs of the Naz goalie to give UC a 3-0 lead into halftime.

Nazareth came out in the second half and got on the board at 45:50 as Elise Maryanopolis tallied her first goal of the season as she fired a rebounded shot off the post from Alexia Root.
A little over seven minutes later, Naz converted a penalty corner, at 52:18, from about 13 yards out to cut the Pioneers lead to one, 3-2. 

The Golden Flyers continued their momentum as they converted another corner at 63:10 to tie the game at 3-3.  Nazareth's Root chipped in a shot following a corner attempt.  Nina Fargnoli was awarded the assist.

Following 26 minutes of overtime play, Steele-Norton registered her sixth goal of the season as she beat the goalie on the right side off a long pass from freshman Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse).  Steele-Norton is now tied with Mackey  for the team-lead with sixth goals.

Mackey (10, Steele-Norton (four) and Mariano (three)) combined for 17 of Utica's 24 shots. 

Senior goalie Monica Storms (Owego, NY/Owego) saved four shots while allowing three goals, however the Pioneers' remained undefeated in the E8.

UC improves to 6-3 overall and remains unbeaten in the Empire 8 at 3-0.  Utica moves into first place after recently defeating conference powers' Washington and Jefferson and Stevens.  The Golden Flyers drop to 1-2 in conference play and 2-7 overall and they are now tied for sixth place with Ithaca (2-6, 1-2 Empire 8) in conference play.

The Pioneers return to action Sunday as they host Union College at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.  The non-conference match up is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.  The Dutchwomen are winless this season at 0-7.