Utica, NY (10/24/13) - The Utica College field hockey welcomes Washington and Jefferson College on Saturday for its final Empire 8 Conference game of the regular season. Game time is set for 11 a.m.

LAST TIME OUT: UC netted a pair of second half goals to erase a 1-0 first half deficit as the Pioneers topped host Hamilton College 2-1 on Wednesday evening … Junior Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) tied the game early in the second half for the Pioneers, while classmate Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) added what proved to be the game-winner in the 54th minute to help Utica improve to 12-3 overall on the year.

BUILDING MOMENTUM: The Pioneers have now won four straight games, topping RPI, Hartwick, Elmira, and Hamilton during the last two weeks … UC has come from behind in both of its last two victories… Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) has been instrumental in the winning streak with a goal in each game… UC has the longest current winning streak in the conference.

HOME STAND: The Pioneers finish the regular season with three straight home games… After Saturday's contest, UC takes on Oneonta State on Wednesday (4 p.m.) before finishing the regular season on Saturday against SUNY Brockport (1 p.m.)… The Pioneers have only played four home games to this point but have an impressive 3-1 mark at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium… UC has won three straight home games since losing its home opener to the University of Rochester on Sept. 8.

#2 SEED LOCKED UP: The Pioneers are locked in as the No. 2 seed for the Empire 8 Conference tournament… Regardless of Saturday's result, UC will not move in the conference standings due to head-to-head tiebreakers… Stevens Institute of Technology earned the top seed and hosting rights for the conference tournament on Nov. 9 and 10… UC was No. 2 in last year's conference tournament when it took down rival Stevens in the Empire 8 Championship.

TWO-HEADED MONSTER: Opponents have their hands full when they line up opposite Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) and Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central)… The talented Pioneers rank first and third, respectively, in the Empire 8 in goals… Steele-Norton is the only player in the conference that averages over 1.00 goal per game… Mackey ranks third in the conference with her 4.80 shots per game.

STOJKOVSKI ON FIRE: Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) is heating up at the right time for UC… She has scored a goal in each of the last four games… Stojkovski ranks sixth in the Empire 8 in goals (eight) and tenth in points (21).

CASEY ON TOP: Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) is in her usual spot atop the Empire 8 goaltending statistics… Casey ranks first in the conference in goals against average (1.424), save percentage (.839) and her five shutouts on the season are also good for first in the conference.

SCOUTING W&J: Washington and Jefferson enters Saturday's contest at 11-5 and 2-3 in the Empire 8 Conference … The Presidents are also playing well as of late, having won three straight games… Last time out the Presidents beat Frostburg State 1-0… Catherine Beaudoin leads W&J with seven goals and six assists on the season… Goalkeeper Morgan Bronenza ranks second in the E8 in goals against average (1.810) and seventh in save percentage (.704).

RECENT MEETINGS: Last year the Presidents got the better of UC, escaping with a 4-3 home victory… W&J forward Erin Barno converted a late game penalty shot to grab the victory… The Pioneers and Presidents have split the last six meetings dating back to 2007.

LOOKING AHEAD: Utica continues its three-game home stand on Wednesday against Oneonta State. Game time is set for 4 p.m.


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