Utica, NY (12/4/14)- The Utica College women's hockey team gets back to ECAC West Conference play this weekend as it takes on SUNY Cortland in a home-and-home series.  On Saturday, the teams will faceoff in Cortland at 2 p.m. before they wrap up the series on Sunday in Utica at 3 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming off a 2-2 tie to cross-town rival, Hamilton College on Tuesday… Senior Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) netted both of Utica's goals, while Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy), Nicole Kieffer, Kelsey Dowdall (Smiths Falls, ONT/Nepean), and Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Team Detroit) each had one assist… Sophomore Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) made 27 saves in net.
 
HEATING UP: Junior Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) has registered six points in the last three games… She leads the team with five goals and nine points and she is tied for ninth nationally with .83 goals per game… She is the active leader in career points with 50.    
 
MAKING AN IMPACT: Senior Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) has netted four goals and added one assist in four games this season… She has been instrumental in the Pioneers' offense since rejoining the team after a stellar performance with the UC field hockey team that made its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance… Steele-Norton is tied for third on the team with 42 career points. 
 
DISHING IT OUT: Seniors Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) and Kelsey Dowdall (Smiths Falls, ONT/Nepean) are tied for the team lead with four assists… Schwartz has also netted two goals in five games this season, one of which was a game-winner… Dowdall has 42 career points on 17 goals and 25 assists. 
 
SCOUTING CORTLAND: The Red Dragons are 2-5 overall and 1-3 in the ECAC West… They are coming of a 9-1 loss to Amherst College on Sunday… Cortland's lone conference win came by way of a 3-1 victory over Oswego on Nov. 8… Nine different players have scored for the Red Dragons… Gwen Paul and Ally Miller have each netted two goals, while Katie Gili leads the team with three points (one goal, two assists).
 
AGAINST CORTLAND: Utica is 30-3 all-time against Cortland, including a 12-1 mark in the last five years… Last year, Utica swept all four games against the Red Dragons by a combined score of 17-6… In the two games that counted in the league standings, Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) totaled three goals and three assists, while Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) had two goals and one assist.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers have nearly a month off before facing SUNY Canton on Tuesday, Jan. 6… Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Canton.


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