Box Score Utica, NY (10/10/12)- The Utica College field hockey team continued its non-conference dominance as it downed nationally-ranked No. 11 Skidmore College, 2-1, Wednesday.  Sophomore Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) scored both goals, while freshman Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) made a season-high 16 saves for the Pioneers.

The game featured two of the top six scorers nationally in Steele-Norton and Skidmore's Kelly Blackhurst.  Blackhurst entered the game ranked fourth nationally in points per game (4.17) and fifth in goals per game (1.58), while Steele-Norton was sixth in the country averaging 1.55 goals per game.  Each player scored her team's goals this afternoon.

After a scoreless first half, Steele-Norton broke the deadlock just under a minute into the second frame as she ran down the left side.  Just before the goal line, she cut towards the middle and tried to center a pass to classmate Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central).  The pass was deflected before it got to Mackey and ended up in the back of the net for her team-leading 18th tally of the season.

Skidmore battled back however, as less than six minutes later Blackhurst was awarded a penalty stroke.  Blackhurst fired two shots on the Utica goal, Casey was able to make the first save and got help from defender Amanda Vitro (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) who came up with a big defensive save, however Blackhurst was granted the penalty.  She showed no nerves as she stepped to the line and put a ball in the left side of the goal to even the score.

Steele Norton again gave Utica the lead in the 57th minute off an assist from classmate Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse).  Stojkovski ran to the 25-yard line before playing a ball into the arc to Steele-Norton.  As Skidmore goalie Haley McDougall came out to challenge, Steele-Norton slid the ball through her legs from ten yards out. 

Despite sustained Thoroughbred pressure for the rest of the game, Utica was able to hang on for the win.

Steele-Norton's 19th tally surpassed Katie Kutas '08 and Danielle Fiore '04 for first on the College's all-time single-season goal scoring list.  She also moved into third place on the single-season point scoring list, just two points behind Kutas and three behind Fiore.

Utica goalkeeper Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) had 16 saves, including a number from close range in her third win of the season.  McDougall had five saves in the loss.  Skidmore falls to 9-4 on the season, while the Pioneers improve to 8-4.

Utica returns to action Saturday as it hosts St. John Fisher College for an Empire 8 match up as part of the College's homecoming festivities.  Game time is scheduled for 11 a.m.


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