Utica, NY (9/20/13)- The Utica College women's soccer team opens up Empire 8 Conference play Saturday as it travels to Elmira College for a match up against the Soaring Eagles.  Game time is set for 12 p.m.

Last Time Out: The Pioneers are coming off an impressive 5-1 win over SUNYIT on Wednesday… Junior Jenna Hughes (Brookfield, NY/Brookfield) had a career-high six points on two goals and two assists… Seniors Sarah Southwell (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Samantha Matthews (Valley Falls, NY/Tamarac) and freshman Elizabeth Feigum (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional) each netted one goal, while Deanna Didio (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) and Alana Fitzpatrick (Cheshire, CT/Holy Cross) each added one assist.

By The Numbers: The Pioneers (2-3-2) have outscored opponents 14-10 on the season… UC is averaging 2.00 goals per game, while allowing 1.43 goals against per game… Utica is also averaging 7.71 shots on goal per game, and has been awarded 18 corner kicks on the season.

Enders Honored: Freshman Jamie Enders (Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia) was named the Empire 8 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career on Monday… Enders totaled 22 saves in three games last week, including seven saves against Potsdam for her first career shutout… She is currently second in the E8 with 46 saves and 6.57 saves per game.

Leading the Way: Junior Alana Fitzpatrick (Cheshire, CT/Holy Cross) leads the squad and ranks fourth in the conference with nine points (four goals, one assist), followed by Jenna Hughes (Brookfield, NY/Brookfield) and Samantha Matthews (Valley Falls, NY/Tamarac), who each have two goals and two assists.   

Helping Out: Senior Sarah Southwell (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) is fourth on the team with two goals and one assist, followed by sophomore Krystine Alvear (Ossining, NY/Ossining) (two goals)… Elizabeth Feigum (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional) and Deanna Didio (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) have also registered points.  

Scouting Elmira: The Soaring Eagles are 2-3 and coming off back-to-back losses to Clarkson University and nationally ranked No. 23 St. Lawrence University, last weekend… Their two wins came over Potsdam (4-2) and Lycoming College (4-0)… Elmira is led by Mollie Hamilton who has nine points (four goals, one assist).

Against the Soaring Eagles: Utica is 4-7 all-time against Elmira… The last time UC beat the Soaring Eagles was a 3-2 win on Sept. 23, 2009… Last year the Pioneers fell 1-0 in their only meeting against Elmira. 

Looking Ahead: The Pioneers remain on the road as they travel to Ithaca College on Wednesday for a 4 p.m. Empire 8 Conference contest.


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