Utica, NY (10/7/13)- The Utica College field hockey team aims to rebound against RPI Wednesday night. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: UC dropped its first conference game of the season Saturday, in a 4-3 overtime loss to Empire 8 rival, Stevens Institute of Technology… Angela Charles (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) led the Pioneers with two goals on the day… Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) notched three points for UC (one goal, two assists) to move into a tie for third on the College's all-time points list … Goalie Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) made a game-high 12 saves.

LIFE ON THE ROAD: The Pioneers are in the midst of a five-game road trip… UC is scheduled to play ten regular season road games in 2013 compared to six in 2012.

CONFERENCE LEADERS: Utica is first in the Empire 8 Conference in goals scored per game (4.4) and goals allowed per game with a miniscule 1.2 … UC fires at will, leading the conference with 229 shots.

ONE-TWO PUNCH: Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) (25 points) and Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) (23 points) rank second and third in the Empire 8 in points, respectively… Steele-Norton is tied for first on the all-time scoring list while Mackey is tied for third… The duo has also combined for five game-winning goals this season.

SECONDARY SCORING: The Pioneers have received essential secondary scoring from junior Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) and sophomore Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport), who have each recorded 12 points this season… UC is 6-0 when Stojkovski records a point… She ranks second in career assists at UC (23)… Dowling has led Utica to a 4-1 record when she tallies at least one point… Both Stojkovski and Dowling have helped UC rank first in the E8 in team offense. 

STOUT DEFENSE: Goalie Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) has been sharp all season… Casey leads the Empire 8 in goals against average (1.519) and is second in save percentage (0.828)… The Pioneer defense led by Meghan Morreale (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro), Marissa Davendonis (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central), Angela Charles (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), and Amanda Vitro (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) ranks first in the Empire 8 in goals allowed per game at 1.2… UC has allowed just nine goals in its last seven games, including three shutouts… Charles has also chipped in on the offensive end, netting five points in the last two games.

TAKE A LOOK AT RPI: RPI enters the contest at 3-7 overall… The Engineers are currently struggling to find wins having lost their last four games… They have been outscored by their opponents 28-16 on the year… Kelsey Porter leads the Engineers with ten points (four goals, two assists) … Sarah Krolus is second with seven points (three goals, one assist) … Goalie Hannah Clough has started all ten games for RPI … Clough has a goals against average of 2.78 and a save percentage of .786.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS: The all-time series is even at 6-6 … Last year UC took down the Engineers 6-2 at Charles A. Gaetano stadium … RPI had a 2-1 lead but the Pioneers netted five unanswered goals in the final 52 minutes of the contest to earn the convincing four goal victory … Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) scored a hat-trick and Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) had one goal and two assists for the Pioneers in the win.

LOOKING FORWARD: Utica continues its grueling road trip Saturday as the Pioneers take on Hartwick College… Game time is set for 11 a.m.


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