Utica, NY (2/6/14)- The Utica College women's hockey team returns to action this weekend as it takes on ECAC West rival, Neumann University.  Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE: Links to live stats and video for both games are on the women's hockey schedule page at ucpioneers.com… Live audio for Saturday's contest will be provided by ESPN Radio (99.1 FM) and Utica College's WPNR radio station (90.7 FM) will have the call for both games this weekend.

LAST TIME OUT: UC is coming off a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to nationally ranked No. 2 Middlebury College Tuesday night… Twice the Pioneers led by two goals, however they were not able to hold on for the victory… Senior Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects), and freshmen Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) and Emily Coope (Phoenix, AZ/Colorado Tigers) each tallied one goal and one assist, while Vanessa Maines (Boxborough, MA/Boston Jr. Shamrocks) had two helpers on the day.

WHERE WE SIT: The Pioneers (13-6, 6-4 ECAC West) are currently fifth in the ECAC West standings, trailing both Oswego State and SUNY Potsdam by just one point… Utica received nine votes in Monday's USCHO.com national rankings, which keeps the Pioneers right outside the top-10 for the second straight week.

TOUGH COMPETITION: All six of the Pioneers' losses have come to teams ranked in the top four in the country… On top of Tuesday's loss to Middlebury, UC has fallen to ECAC West opponents, No. 1 Plattsburgh State and No. 3 Elmira College twice each… Utica also dropped a nail biter, 4-2, to No. 4 Norwich University on Jan. 11, which snapped the Pioneers' eight-game winning streak.

MYERS MOVING UP RECORD BOOK: Senior Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) has tallied 131 points (70 goals, 61 assists) in her career for UC… She needs just three points to tie All-American Stephanie Price '07 for second all-time… She ranks ninth in the country with .79 goals per game, and tenth in points per game (1.42). 

HELPING OUT: Freshman Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) is second on the team with 20 points (ten goals, ten assists)… Her 1.05 points per game rank fifth nationally amongst freshmen… Sophomore Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) ranks third with 19 points, and her 12 assists are tied with Myers for most on the team. 

SCOUTING NEUMANN: The Knights are 5-12-1 overall and are currently seventh in the ECAC West Conference standings with a 2-7-1 mark in league play… They are led by freshman Meghan Power, who has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) on the season… Utica is 4-8 against the Knights in the last five years… Last season, UC topped Neumann 4-1 and 3-2 in overtime… Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) had three goals and three assists on the weekend, while Kristen Beckman (Arnold, MD/Northwood School), Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy), and Meredith Tice (Hershey, PA/Washington Pride) also scored. 

LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers continue conference play next weekend as they take on Oswego in a home-and-home series… Saturday's contest is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Aud, before both teams head to Utica for a 4 p.m. match up next Sunday. 


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