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Utica, NY (12-3-11) - The Utica Colleg women's hockey team is set for a home-and-home series against ECAC West rival SUNY Cortland before taking a three-week breather for winter break.

Game-Time: The Pioneers travel to Cortland, NY Saturday for a 7 p.m. puck drop and before hosting the Red Dragons next Saturday afternoon, Dec. 10, at the Aud for a 4 p.m. scheduled start.

The Pioneers: UC is currently 4-6 overall including a 1-5 mark in the ECAC Women's West Conference … In 2010-2011, the Pioneers went 4-3 in non-conference play ... Utica currently holds a 3-1 record in non conference play this season ... UC lost its first non-conference match on Nov. 27, 3-1, to Williams College.

UC vs. the Red Dragons: Cortland is currently 2-3-1 overall and 0-3-1 in conference play this season ... Last season, the teams split the season series ... UC shut out Cortland, 5-0, at home and lost, 5-2, in Cortland, NY ... The Red Dragons compiled a 4-18-3 overall record last season, while going 3-12-3 in ECAC action.

Scoring Leaders: Sophomores Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) and Brittany DelleChiaie (Leominster, MA/The Winchendon School) have combined for 20 points so far including nine of UC's 21 goals … Myers has five goals and nine assists while DelleChiaie has four goals and two assists … Seven other Pioneers have tallied at least three total points or more ...  Junior Meghan McMahon (Gardner, MA/St. Marks (MA)) has racked up six assists.

Duo in Net:  Senior Marissa Hotaling (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and sophomore Jennifer Hamel (Ithaca, NY/Northwood School) are presently splitting time in goal for Utica … Hotaling has an overall record of 1-3 while posting a .919 save percentage and a goals against average of 3.46 … Hamel is 3-3 while registering a .928 save percentage and a 2.68 goals against average  … The duo has combined for a total of 331 saves, while allowing 27 goals on the season.

Return to the Rink: Following gthe Holiday break, UC returns to the ice Saturday Jan. 7 as its welcomes Manhattanville College to the friendly confines of the Aud ... Utica will then travel to Middlebury College (Middlebury, VT) Tuesday Jan. 10 for a non-conference match before its final 10-of-11 games in ECAC Women's West Conference action.