Utica, NY (9/20/13)- The Utica College field hockey team begins its quest to defend its Empire 8 Conference title as it opens up league play at St. John Fisher College on Saturday.  Game time is set for 1 p.m.

Last Time Out: The Pioneers are coming off a 3-2 come-from-behind victory at SUNY Geneseo on Wednesday… Junior Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) netted two goals and classmate Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) added one goal and one assist to lift the Pioneers… Sophomore Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) had two assists on the afternoon, and classmate Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) had eight saves, including four in the final two minutes of the contest.

Where We Sit: UC (5-1) is off to the second best start in program history… The Pioneers have outscored opponents 23-7 on the year and are averaging 4.50 goals per game while allowing just 1.17 goals per game… Utica has outshot opponents 101-35 and holds a 64-32 advantage in penalty corners.

In the Record Books: With two goals on Wednesday, Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) tied the College's all-time goal scoring record, of 46, set by Shannon Rohacek '05… She currently sits in third on UC's career points list (96), just two away from Katie Kutas '08 who recorded 98 points as a Pioneer… Junior Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) is currently tied for fourth on the all-time points list with 88… Her 35 career goals are also fourth all-time… Mackey currently leads the conference in goals (six) and points (15).

Helping Out: Freshman Emily Gascon (Chenango Forks, NY/Greene) is third on the team with eight points (three goals, two assists), followed by Chasity Eckert (Afton, NY/Afton Central), Becki Vivacqua (Yorkville, NY/New York Mills Jr-Sr High), Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse), and Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) who each have six points… Jessica Franklin (Delevan, NY/Pioneer) has tallied four points, while Adriana Surprenant (Utica, NY/New York Mills Jr-Sr High), Angela Charles (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), Lindsay James (Newry, ME/Tellstar Regional), Jenna Dunne, Olivia Plaisted (Hampden, ME/Hampden Academy), and Ally Sanders (Endicott, NY/Maine Endwell) have also registered points this season.

Scouting St. John Fisher: The Cardinals are 3-3 overall and coming off a 2-1 win over Houghton College on Wednesday…  They are led by Bailee Barrett who has a team-high eight points, three goals, and 13 shots… Fisher advanced to the Empire 8 Conference tournament last season, in just the second year of the program's existence.

Against the Cardinals: Utica is 3-0 all-time against St. John Fisher… Last year, UC topped the Cardinals 1-0 during the regular season off a goal by Jessica Franklin (Delevan, NY/Pioneer), assisted by Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse)… The Pioneers also defeated Fisher, 3-1, in the first round of the Empire 8 Conference tournament… Stojkovski had one goal and two assists in the game, while Steele-Norton and Olivia Plaisted (Hampden, ME/Hampden Academy) also added goals for UC.

Looking Ahead: The Pioneers continue their three-game road trip, Wednesday as they travel to Saratoga Springs, NY to take on Skidmore College… The non-conference matchup is scheduled for 4 p.m.


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