Utica, NY (9/18/13)- The Utica College field hockey team looks to continue its momentum as it travels to SUNY Geneseo, Wednesday for a non-conference match up against the Knights.  Game time is set for 4 p.m.

Last Time Out: The Pioneers are coming off a 5-0 win over Houghton on Saturday… Junior Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) had one goal and three assists, while classmate Becki Vivacqua (Yorkville, NY/New York Mills Jr-Sr High) had two goals on the day… Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) and Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) each had a goal and Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) added one assist.

By the Numbers: The Pioneers are 4-1 overall… They have outshot their opponents 88-23 and outscored the opposition 23-5… Utica holds a 55-24 advantage in penalty corners… UC is also averaging 17.6 shots on goal per game. 

Chasing 100: Juniors Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) and Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) are in line to become the next 100-point scorers… Shannon Rohacek (110 points) is currently the only player to reach the 100-point plateau in UC history… Steele-Norton is third all-time with 92 career points (44 goals, four assists)… She needs two goals to tie Rohacek for first on the all-time goal-scoring list… Mackey is currently tied for fourth on the all-time points list (88 points)… Her 35 career goals rank fourth on the College's goal scoring list… So far this season, she leads the Empire 8 Conference in goals (six), points (15), and points per game (3.00). 

Helping Out: Freshman Emily Gascon (Chenango Forks, NY/Greene) is second on the team with eight points (three goals, two assists)… Junior Chasity Eckert (Afton, NY/Afton Central) is tied for third on the team in points (six) with classmate Becki Vivacqua (Yorkville, NY/New York Mills Jr-Sr High). 

Big D: The Pioneer defense, led by Angela Charles (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), Marissa Davendonis (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central), Meghan Morreale (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro), and Amanda Vitro (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) has come up big so far this season… They have held opponents to just 4.6 shots on goal per game, and allowed 1.00 goals against per contest… Sophomore Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) has allowed just four goals on the season… She leads the conference in save percentage (.810) and is second in the E8 with a 1.443 goals against average. 

Scouting Geneseo: The Knights are 3-2 overall and coming off a1-0 overtime win over St. Lawrence on Saturday… They are led by senior Kayla DeAngelis who has nine points (three goals, three assists) and sophomore Dayna Mercer, who was recently named the SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Week… UC is 8-2 agaisnt the Knights dating back to 2003… Last year Geneseo defeated Utica 3-2 at Gaetano Stadium… Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) had two goals and Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) and Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) each had one assist. 

Looking Ahead: The Pioneers return to action Saturday as they open up Empire 8 Conference play at St. John Fisher College… Game time will be at 1 p.m.


                                                                    --- www.ucpioneers.com ---