Box Score Rochester, NY (9/22/12) – The Utica College field hockey team snapped a two game slide on Saturday as it topped Nazareth College 4-2 in a key Empire 8 Conference road contest.  The Pioneers turned up the heat in the second half, outscoring the Golden Flyers 3-1 in the final 35 minutes, to improve their record to 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the E8. 

The contest marked the first road game of the year for the Pioneers, who seem to have the Golden Flyers' (1-6, 0-4 Empire 8) number after defeating them in five consecutive meetings dating back to 2007. 

After playing to a 1-1 tie after 35 minutes in the first half, the Pioneers were able to pick it up in the second half to seal the victory.  Sophomore Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) caged her conference-best ninth goal of the year in the first half, while classmate Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) started the second half scoring with her seventh tally of the year. Sophomore Alaina Stojovksi recorded two assists setting up both Steele-Norton and Mackey on their scores. Within 20 seconds of Mackey's goal the Golden Flyers knotted the score at 2-2 after Tessa Knapped tallied her first goal of the season. 

In the 43rd minute sophomore Marissa Davendonis (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) scored the eventual game-winner, her first of the year, to put the Pioneers on top 3-2.  Freshman Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) added an insurance goal in the 55th minute for the Pioneers to seal the victory.  

Nazareth has now lost six consecutive contests. 

The Pioneers return home on Wednesday, Sept.26 at 4 p.m. when they take on the Soaring Eagles of Elmira College at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.


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