Utica, NY (9/27/13)- The Utica College field hockey team looks to earn its second Empire 8 Conference win Saturday as it welcomes Nazareth College to the friendly confines of Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.  Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE: Live video for all home games is available at empire8.tv… Links for live stats for Saturday's contest are available on the Pioneers' schedule page at www.ucpioneers.com… Utica College's student radio station WPNR 90.7 FM will be broadcasting the game and live streaming audio of the contest can be accessed at www.utica.edu/wpnr.

SOCIAL MEDIA: If you can't make it out to the game make sure to follow live updates on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers … If you are at the game, or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #LetsGoUC … You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers.

LAST TIME OUT: UC had its three-game win streak snapped Wednesday afternoon as it fell to nationally ranked No. 12 Skidmore College, 2-1 in overtime.  Sophomore Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) scored the lone goal for Utica, while classmate Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) made 11 saves in the effort… Junior Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) assisted on Dowling's tally. 

STEELE-NORTON STEALING THE SHOW: Junior Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) recently set a new program record for career goals (48), breaking 2005 graduate Shannon Rohacek's previous record of 46… She also became just the second player in program history to record 100 points in a career… Her 101 career points rank second on the all-time list, just nine behind Rohacek's record of 110.

MACKEY PLAYING MIGHTY: Junior Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) leads the team and ranks second in the conference in goals (seven), points (17), and points per game (2.43)… She recently took sole possession of fourth place on the all-time scoring list with 90 points and needs just ten points to become the third player to reach the 100-point plateau… UC is 4-0 this year when Mackey tallies at least one point. 

CASEY COOL UNDER PRESSURE: Despite being outshot 22-4 on Wednesday, the Pioneers took Skidmore to overtime, thanks in large part to the stellar play of sophomore goal keeper, Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy)… Casey is first in the Empire 8 with a 1.11 goals against average and her .827 save percentage ranks second in the conference.

HELPING OUT: Ten different players have scored at least one goal this season… Sophomore Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) and freshman Emily Gascon (Chenango Forks, NY/Greene) are tied for third on the team with nine points… Chasity Eckert (Afton, NY/Afton Central), Becki Vivacqua (Yorkville, NY/New York Mills Jr-Sr High), Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport), Jessica Franklin (Delevan, NY/Pioneer), Adriana Surprenant (Utica, NY/New York Mills Jr-Sr High), and Angela Charles (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) have also chipped in on goal-scoring duties… Lindsay James (Newry, ME/Tellstar Regional), Ally Sanders (Endicott, NY/Maine Endwell), and Olivia Plaisted (Hampden, ME/Hampden Academy) have also tallied assists on the season. 

SCOUTING NAZ: The Golden Flyers are 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the Empire 8… After dropping the first three games on the season, Nazareth is currently riding a three-game win streak, including a 3-2 E8 victory over Elmira on Saturday… Naz is led by Sarah Wazenkewitz who has four goals and 11 points on the season. 

AGAINST THE GOLDEN FLYERS: UC is 10-2 against Nazareth dating back to 2001… The last time Naz defeated Utica was 2007 when it won 2-1… Last year the Pioneers downed the Golden Flyers 4-2… Hannah Mackey (Locke, NY/Moravia Central) had one goal, one assist, while Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School), Marissa Davendonis (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central), and Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) also scored for UC… Alaina Stojkovski (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) had two assists on the day.

LOOKING AHEAD: UC will continue Empire 8 play on Wednesday as it hosts Ithaca College… Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.


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