Box Score
UTICA, NY (1/12/2014) – The Utica College women's hockey team exploded with three second period goals on its way to a 4-1 victory over visiting Manhattanville College at the Utica Memorial Auditorium Sunday afternoon. Utica freshman forward Victoria Pelton (Sterling Heights, MI/Belle Tire) had a career-high two goals, just 1:54 apart, to lead the way for the Pioneers. Samantha Pucci (Pearl River, NY/Connecticut Polar Bears) also chipped in with two assists, her first two points of the year, for Utica.

Utica has now won nine of its last ten games and improved to 9-3 overall on the year, rebounding from a 4-2 loss at the hands of nationally-ranked No. 4 Norwich University on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers have now won two straight against Manhattanville after topping the Valiants 4-0 last season at the Aud. The Pioneers are now 2-4 in six meetings all-time against Manhattanville. In their two wins over Manhattanville, UC has outscored the Valiants 8-1.

The Valiants dropped to 6-7-1 overall on the year and they have now lost five of their last seven outings after spending the first six weeks of the regular season ranked in the nation's top 10 by USCHO.com.

Both teams skated to a scoreless first period, with the Valiants going 0-for-2 on the power-play while earning a 7-5 lead in the shot category.

The Pioneers blew up with three goals in the third period to take a commanding 3-0 lead into the final period of play. Pelton opened the scoring for UC in the second period when she tipped home a Nicole Kieffer (Rome, NY/Lysander Lightning) shot to put the Pioneers in the driver's seat, just 1:23 into the period. Less than two minutes later Pelton got right back into it as she punched in her second of the evening to give UC a commanding 2-0 lead at the 3:17 ledger. Peltons' third career goal was assisted by Pucci.

UC was not done yet in the second period as Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) and Pucci found a streaking Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy), who broke out and flipped the puck into the top right corner past Manhattanville junior goalie Kirsten Shaughnessy to put the Pioneers on top 3-0 with just under seven minutes to go in the stanza.

The Pioneers added an insurance tally in the third period as Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) tipped in a shot from Janessa Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Canadian International Hockey Academy). Senior captain Meredith Tice (Hershey, PA/Washington Pride) was also credited with an assist on the Pioneers' final goal of the game.

UC senior goalie Jennifer Hamel (Ithaca, NY/Northwood School) improved to 7-3 overall on the year after stopping 27 shots. Hamel was just 25 seconds away from her ninth career shutout, but Valiant Michele Meggiolaro spoiled the shutout when she punched in her seventh of the year in the closing seconds of the game. Manhattanville goalie Kirsten Shaughnessy made 24 saves in net for the Valiants.

The Pioneers will hit the road for a two-game ECAC Women's West Conference set at Chatham University next Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game begins at 8 p.m. and Sunday's contest starts at 1 p.m. Utica returns home to take on the nationally-ranked No. 1 Plattsburgh State Cardinals in on January 24 and 25.