Utica, NY (8/30/13)- The Utica College field hockey team looks to defend its Empire 8 Conference title as it kicks off the 2013 season.  The Pioneers have 18 games this season including seven home contests.  UC will take on the University of Rochester, Houghton College, Nazareth College, Ithaca College, Washington & Jefferson College, Oneonta State, and Brockport all at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. 

Utica lost just one player to graduation and will return the core from its record breaking 2012 season.  The Pioneers finished the year with a 15-6 record and a 4-3 mark in the Empire 8. UC captured the College's first Empire 8 Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time ever. As a team, the 2012 Pioneers set new single-season program records for points (172), goals (66), and wins (15).

UC will welcome back Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year, North Atlantic Region Player of the Year, and first team All-American, Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School).  Steele-Norton set a new league record for goals in a season (27), and broke the College's single season record for goals, points (56), points per game (2.80), and goals per game (1.35).  She also tied the league record for game-winning goals (seven).  She is fourth on the program's career points list, and needs just 23 points to become the highest scorer in UC history. 

Joining Steele-Norton up front will be junior, first team All-Region selection, Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central).  Mackey finished second in the conference in goals (16), points (43), and game-winning goals (six).  She is second on the College's single season points scoring list and fourth in goals in a season.  Her 11 assists also rank third most in a season in program history.  In her career, Mackey sits fourth all-time at UC with 29 goals, and is fifth in points (73.). 

Junior Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) will help anchor the midfield.  Stojkovski was named first team All-Region and MVP of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament last year.  She totaled a league-best 15 assists on the season, which ranks second in UC history.  In her career, Stojkovksi also ranks second on the College's all-time assists list with 18 helpers.  She finished the season ranked 18th nationally with .75 assists per game.

UC will rely on sophomore goalkeeper Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) to backstop the Pioneer defense.  Casey was a first team All-Conference and second team all-region.  She compiled a 10-3 record while finishing first in the E8 with a 1.57 goals-against average and a .804 save percentage.  She also ranked 16th nationally in save percentage.  Casey ranks fourth all-time in career saves at UC and is currently second all-time with 6.14 saves per game.

The Pioneers will call upon their six seniors to provide veteran leadership for the team.  Ally Sanders (Endicott, NY/Maine Endwell) is the active leader in career games played (58) and has started every game in the last two seasons.  Meghan Morreale (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) helped lead the Pioneer defensive unit that allowed just 1.76 goals per game last season.  She was also named to the 2012 Empire 8 All-Tournament team.  Marissa Davendonis (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) started all 21 games last year and will also provide depth on the defensive end.  Jessica Franklin (Delevan, NY/Pioneer) played in 20 games last season, while netting two goals and one assist.   Lindsay James (Newry, ME/Tellstar Regional) played in 19 games for the Pioneers and was named Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year in 2012.

Angela Charles (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), Amanda Vitro (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central), Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) were also starters last year and will be looked upon again to provide solid play.

The Pioneers open up their season Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1 as they travel to Canton, NY for the St. Lawrence Tournament.  UC will take on Cedar Crest College on Saturday at 12 p.m. before facing off against the host Saints on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.


  
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