Box Score Box Score

Utica, NY (9/1/12)- The Utica College field hockey team opened up its 2012 season on a positive note by defeating the College of Wooster, 3-2.

Sophomore standouts Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) and Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) netted all three goals for the Pioneers, while classmate Olivia Cunningham (Bethlehem, NH/Profile) made seven saves in her college debut. 

Steele-Norton opened up the scoring just under 20 minutes into the game as she gathered up a loose ball 25 yards out and rushed in on goal.  After beating the defender, Steele-Norton slid a shot past Wooster goalie Liz Plumley to put UC up 1-0.

Just three minutes later, reigning Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year, Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central), netted her first goal of the season off a pass from junior, Jessica Franklin (Delevan, NY/Pioneer).  After a scrum in front of the net, the ball squirted out towards the right post.  Franklin gathered it and dished it to Mackey who tucked a backhander inside the left post to put Utica up by two.

Wooster came within one at 25:31 as Clare Nelson-Johnson put one past Cunningham.  After a scrum in front of the net, Taylor Thorp found an unmarked Nelson-Johnson who buried it.

Mackey scored her second goal of the game six minutes later to cap off the UC scoring.  She received a pass from classmate Adriana Suprenant 20 yards out and ran in on a breakaway.  Mackey weaved around a diving Mount and buried a shot into the open net to send the Pioneers into the locker room with a two-goal advantage. 

Wooster finished the scoring at 47:17 when Kate Brondyk found the back of the net off a feed from Nikki Sever.  The play started out as Brondyk took a penalty corner.  After the ball bounced around in front of Cunningham, Sever corralled it and dished to Brondyk who drove it past an outstretched Cunningham. 

Utica held off a late rally from Wooster to secure the victory. Cunningham finished with seven saves in her first collegiate start, while her counterparts Liz Plumley and Carrie Mount combined for 13 saves. 
UC returns to action tomorrow as it faces St. Lawrence University.  Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.


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