Utica, NY (2/5/15)- The Utica College women's hockey team returns to action this weekend as it takes on Chatham University in ECAC West Conference play. The Pioneers face the Cougars Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: Utica is fresh off a 1-0 loss to Oswego on Tuesday night… The Pioneers threatened late and outshot the Lakers 9-6 in the third period but Bridget Smith and the Oswego defense fended off three Utica power-plays to earn the one goal victory… Sophomore
Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) turned away 26 shots on the evening.
LEAGUE STANDINGS: Utica remains tied with Potsdam for fifth in the ECAC West Conference standings, however the Pioneers have one game in hand over the Bears… UC is three points behind Buffalo State, which is currently in fourth place… Utica will take on the Bengals in the last weekend of the regular season.
STILL "GOIN" STRONG: Sophomore
Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) has been solid in net recently… She has allowed just four goals in her last three starts, while compiling a .960 save percentage in that span… On the season, she has a .922 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average.
LEADING THE WAY: Junior
Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) has a team-high 11 goals and her 19 points rank tenth in the conference… Senior
Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) and sophomore
Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) are tied for second on the team with 10 points each.
SENIOR DAY: On Saturday, Utica will honor its nine seniors, including captains
Nikki Kieffer (Rome, NY/Lysander Lightning),
Kelsey Dowdall (Smiths Falls, ONT/Nepean), and
Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks), as well as
Marissa McNamara (Camillus, NY/Lysander Lightning),
Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School),
Samantha Pucci (Pearl River, NY/Connecticut Polar Bears),
Madison Christoff (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks),
Gabrielle Abbott (Scottsdale, AZ/St. Marks), and student assistant coach,
Ashley Ward (Forsyth County, GA/Forsyth High School)… They have compiled 49 wins in the last four seasons and are in the hunt for making their third consecutive ECAC West playoff appearance.
SCOUTING CHATHAM: The Cougars are 7-11-1 overall and 2-9-1 in the conference… They are coming off a loss and a tie against Cortland last weekend… Offensively, they are led by sophomore Erika Martin and junior Erika Bronk, who each have 12 points… Senior Megan Buchanan has a .924 save percentage in 16 games played this season.
AGAINST THE COUGARS: Utica is 9-0-1 against Chatham in the last five years… Last season, the Pioneers defeated the Cougars 4-3 and 3-2 in Pittsburgh…
Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) had two goals and two assists, while
Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) had one goal and one assist and
Nikki Kieffer (Rome, NY/Lysander Lightning) tallied two assists on the weekend.
LOOKING AHEAD: Utica returns to the Aud on Tuesday (7 p.m.) for its final regular season home game as it faces SUNY Canton in the 3
rd annual Gold Ribbon Game for childhood cancer awareness… Utica will wear special edition gold jerseys during the game... The jerseys are currently being auctioned off online (
HERE)… All proceeds from the event will be donated to a local family of a child battling cancer, to help offset their medical costs.
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