Utica, NY – The Utica College women's hockey team travels to nationally-ranked No. 9 Elmira College Saturday for the opening round of the ECAC Women's West Conference Tournament. The Pioneers finished the regular season with an overall record of 12-13 including a conference record of 8-10, while the Soaring Eagles compiled a regular season record of 16-7-2 as well as a 12-4-2 mark in conference play.

UC, which is making its school-record tenth straight conference tournament appearance, has lost three straight and seven of its last nine games. This year, Elmira swept UC in the regular season, winning 5-0 and 4-3 in overtime at the Utica Memorial Auditorium on Feb. 4 and 5. The Soaring Eagles have beat Utica the last six meetings. UC last beat EC, 3-2, back on Jan. 27, 2008 and is 3-10-1 against Elmira dating back to the 2005-06 season. Two of those three wins came back in the 2005-06 season when Utica beat EC, 4-1, in the first round of the conference tournament.

The Pioneers are led by freshman stand-out Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) who currently leads the team with 19 goals and is tied for first in points (31). Myers is ranked ninth nationally in goals and has posted three hat-tricks in her freshman campaign.

Senior forward Darcy Hier (Centennial, CO/Colorado Selects) is currently sixth in the country in assists with 23 (.92pg). 21 of her 31 points have come in conference play, including six of her eight goals. Hier and Myers are tied for 16th place nationally in points scored.

ECAC Women's West Conference Tournament action continues Saturday, Mar. 5 and is to be announced following the opening round results.
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