Nicole Schwartz was named the game's first star after netting the game-winning goal
Box Score Utica, NY (11/22/13)- The Utica College women's hockey team won its third straight game as the Pioneers topped visiting Williams College, 4-2, in non-conference action Friday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Four different players scored on the evening for Utica.
The Pioneers got on the board with 9.5 seconds left in the first period as junior
Kelsey Dowdall (Smiths Falls, ONT/Nepean) knocked in a loose puck in front of the net for her first of the year.
Vanessa Maines (Boxborough, MA/Boston Jr. Shamrocks) and
Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) assisted on the play. UC added to the lead at 12:59 of the second period as freshman
Emily Coope (Phoenix, AZ/Colorado Tigers) tipped in a point shot from
Nicole Kieffer (Rome, NY/Lysander Lightning) for her first collegiate goal. Freshman
Victoria Pelton (Sterling Heights, MI/Belle Tire) also added a helper on the play.
Williams broke the shutout streak at 18:56 as Christina Bravi had a partial breakaway and was able to sneak the puck between the legs of
Jennifer Hamel (Ithaca, NY/Northwood School). It was short-lived however, as the Pioneers came right back just 15 seconds later as
Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) roofed the puck from the top of the crease to put Utica back up by two.
Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) and
Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) assisted on Schwartz's third tally of the year.
Myers then scored a goal of her own at 8:13 of the third period as she stole the puck at the Williams blue line and went in alone. Myers made a nice deke to beat Williams goalie Chloe Billadeau for her third goal of the year. The Ephs did not quit as they were able to score a power play tally off the stick of Michaela Levine with just over five minutes remaining to keep the game in reach. Gabrielle Vukasin and Hanna Beattie assisted on the play.
Despite the Ephs playing with an extra attacker for the final 1:15 of play, they could not find the back of the net and Utica collected its third straight victory. Hamel made 37 saves for UC, while Billadeau had 25 stops for the Ephs.
Utica returns to action Tuesday as it travels to SUNY Canton for a non-conference match up against the Kangaroos. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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