Utica, NY – Sophomore
Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) pushed home the game-winner with 1:11 left in regulation to help lift the Utica College field hockey team to a 2-1 victory in Empire 8 Conference action on Saturday at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. Koch's game-winner was her first goal of the season and was assisted by
Taylor Lukins (Weedsport, NY/Weedsport Central) off a penalty corner opportunity late in the contest.
Utica freshman
Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) netted her team-best sixth goal of the season to help the Pioneers win their second straight game as they improved to 5-8 overall and 3-2 in Empire 8 play. Senior
Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) assisted on the game's opening goal by Meelan.
UC took the early 1-0 advantage after Meelan score just 5:06 into the contest. The Pioneers held their one goal lead through halftime, but it was a relatively even contest, with Utica holding a 4-3 shot advantage and both teams earning three penalty corners as the halftime horn sounded.
W&J earned a penalty stroke eight minutes into the second half of play and it appeared that the game would be tied up at 1-1. But UC Head Coach
Sarah Elleman called in penalty stroke specialist
Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) off the bench, and Whitehouse did not disappoint, making a highlight reel diving save to preserve the Pioneers' 1-0 lead.
The Presidents were able to knot the score at 1-1 in the 61
st minute when Amanda Steffey netted her fourth goal of the season with less than nine minutes to go in regulation.
UC got the late goal from Koch, her third career tally, off the penalty corner to help them remain in the hunt for a top four spot in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. UC goalie
Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) stopped eight shots on the afternoon while W&J goalie Morgan Brozena made three of her own.
The Pioneers finished with a 14-5 shot advantage, while the visitors earned a 9-8 lead in penalty corners.
The Presidents record moved to 4-6 overall and 1-2 in the Empire 8.
Utica returns to action for a key Empire 8 road game on Saturday when it travels to Stevens in Hoboken, NJ to take on the Ducks at 5 p.m.
