UTICA, NY- Visiting Ithaca College scored two unanswered goals to top the Utica College field hockey team, 2-1 Saturday, and earn the No. 1 seed in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament.
 
The Pioneers now need to defeat Hartwick College and have either Stevens or Washington & Jefferson lose their final game in order to have a chance at making their sixth straight Empire 8 Conference Tournament.
 
Freshman Jessica Belt (Webster, NY/Webster-Schroeder) opened the scoring just 5:53 into the contest as she found the back of the net off a pass from senior Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport).  Belt is now third on the team with five goals on the season.
 
The Bombers responded, however to score one goal in each half as they improved to 11-3 overall and claim the top spot in the E8 with a 7-1 conference record. Olivia Salindong and Colleen Keegan-Twombly scored for Ithaca.
 
Senior Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) made eight saves in the loss.  She now has 377 career saves, and needs just five more to tie Amanda McDonnell '09 for first all-time at Utica College.  Katie Lass made four stops in net for Ithaca.
 
The Pioneers drop to 6-10 on the year, and 3-4 in the Empire 8.  UC has a quick turnaround as it travels to nearby Clinton, NY on Sunday to face local rival, Hamilton College.  Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.