Utica, NY (1/12/15)- The Utica College women's hockey team returns home Tuesday as it hosts nationally ranked No. 4 Middlebury College.  Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: Make sure to follow live updates of the game on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers… If you are at the game and on Twitter, or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #UCMoose… You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers ... Fans can also follow the Pioneers on Instagram: UCPioneers.

PIONEERS ALL-ACCESS: If you can't make it out to the Aud to watch the game in person, Pioneers All-Access is the place to be on game day, providing live video, audio (WPNR 90.7 FM) and stats for all UC home games in the rink… Pioneers All-Access is a completely FREE service provided for those members of the Pioneer nation that might not be able to make it out to the game … Recent stories and social media are fully integrated into the Pioneers All-Access site for the most comprehensive viewing experience …  Make sure to check out Pioneers All-Access at www.ucpioneers.com/watch.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers (5-3-2) had their five-game unbeaten streak snapped Friday as they fell to nationally ranked No. 3 Norwich University, 2-1… Sophomore Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) made 28 saves and allowed just two power play goals, while classmate Victoria Pelton (Sterling Heights, MI/Belle Tire) netted the lone goal for UC… Junior Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) extended her point-scoring streak to seven games as she assisted on Pelton's tally. 
 
NATIONALLY RANKED: Utica was ranked No. 10 in the latest d3hockey.com national poll, released Monday… This marks the first time this season that the Pioneers have cracked the top-ten… UC is one of three ECAC West Conference teams ranked in the poll, as Plattsburgh State and Elmira College are first and second, respectively. 
 
TOUGH SCHEDULE: Tuesday's contest will mark the third ranked opponent Utica will face this season… UC's only losses have come to teams ranked in the top three nationally… The Pioneers lost to No. 2 Elmira 4-1 and 7-5 earlier this season, and most recently fell to No. 3 Norwich… Utica will face No. 1 Plattsburgh in ECAC West action on Feb. 14 and 15.
 
LEADING THE WAY: Junior Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) leads the team with nine goals and 16 points… She ranks seventh in the country with 1.60 points per game and her .90 goals per game rank sixth nationally… Reed is in the midst of a seven-game scoring streak in which she has tallied 14 points…  She is the active leader with 57 career points.
 
FROM THE FIELD TO THE ICE: Seniors Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) and Nikki Kieffer (Rome, NY/Lysander Lightning) who played prominent roles on the Empire 8 Champion UC field hockey team, have made their presence felt on the ice as well this season… Each has tallied six points in the last five games… Steele-Norton ranks second on the team with nine points (five goals, four assists), while Kieffer is seventh nationally in scoring amongst defensemen with .88 points per game.
 
LIGHTING THE LAMP: Utica ranks 13^th nationally in scoring offense with 3.10 goals per game… 12 different players have scored at least once this season… Sophomore Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) is third on the team with three goals and eight points… Schnepp is also tied for the national lead with two shorthanded goals this season.
 
GOIN NAMED GOALIE OF THE WEEK: Sophomore Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) was named the ECAC West Goalie of the Week for the second time this season… Goin stopped 43-of-46 shots she faced last week... On Tuesday, she made 15 saves in a 3-1 win over SUNY Canton... She followed that up by turning away 28-of-30 shots in a 2-1 loss to #3 Norwich… Both goals she gave up to the Cadets were power play tallies... She holds a .908 save percentage and 2.34 goals against average on the season.
 
SCOUTING MIDDLEBURY: The Panthers (7-2-1) are ranked No. 4 in both the USCHO.com and d3hockey.com national polls… They are coming off a sweep of NESCAC opponent, Wesleyan last weekend… Senior Emily Fluke leads the team in goals (six), assists (11), and points (17), while classmate Madeline Marsh has a .935 save percentage and 1.48 goals against average in six starts between the pipes. 
 
AGAINST THE PANTHERS: Utica is 0-7 all-time against Middlebury… The Pioneers let a 3-1 lead slip away last year as they fell to the Panthers 5-4… Emily Coope (Phoenix, AZ/Colorado Tigers) and Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) each had a goal and an assist for UC. 
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers remain home Saturday as they host Stevenson University in non-conference action… Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.


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