UTICA, NY – The Utica College field hockey team faces a pair of tough tests this weekend. UC will host Empire 8 Conference foe, Houghton College on Saturday before traveling to nationally ranked No. 11 Skidmore College on Sunday. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: UC dropped a heartbreaker, 4-3, in double overtime to visiting Nazareth College on Wednesday night at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium... After trailing 3-1 early in the second half, the Pioneers rallied with the final two goals of regulation to force overtime... Just 1:02 into the second overtime, Naz's Kailee Coleman pushed home the game-winner in the far left corner of the cage to snap the Pioneers' nine game home conference winning streak that dated back to 2012… Freshman
Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) netted two goals, while junior transfer
Meghan McCormick (Ava, NY/RFA) had the other tally…
Rachael Scaramuzzino (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) and
Jessica Belt (Webster, NY/Webster-Schroeder) each recorded one assist on the day.
HEATING UP: Freshman
Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) has been red hot recently… She has scored all of her team-leading nine points (four goals, one assist) in the last two conference games against Elmira and Nazareth… Meelan is currently tied for fifth in the conference in total goals scored.
HELPING OUT: Aside from Meelan the Pioneers have three players with more than two points… Senior
Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) is second on the squad with six points (one goal, four assists) while Megan McCormick has four points (two goals), and
Tori Couture (Auburn, ME/Edward Little ) has three points (one goal, one assist).
IN THE NET: Senior
Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) is currently second on the College's career saves list (329)... She is currently first in the conference in saves (70) and second in saves per game (8.75)… She has a .778 save percentage and a 2.48 goals against average on the year.
SCOUTING HOUGHTON: The Highlanders are 3-3 overall with a 1-2 Empire 8 Conference record…They have dropped the last two games including a 3-2 overtime defeat to St. John Fisher College on Wednesday…The Pioneers are 3-0 against the Highlanders over the last three years… Houghton is led by senior Kristin McKane, who has registered nine points (four goals, one assist) on the year.
SCOUTING SKIDMORE: The Thoroughbreds (3-2) dropped from No. 5 to No. 11 in this weekend's NFHCA national poll after losing their last two games… Skidmore is led by senior Dani DeGregory and sophomore goalkeeper Zoe McGuire… DeGregory, a first team All-American last season, has netted three goals and added three assists this season, while McGuire has compiled an impressive .897 save percentage and 1.30 goals against average… The Pioneers are 2-3 against the Thoroughbreds over the last five years…UC won its match up against Skidmore last season, 4-1, behind goals from
Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) and
Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa).
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers hit the road next Saturday as they head to face Empire 8 opponent St. John Fisher… The game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
BROADCAST INFO: Select Utica College home games are broadcast over the air and online by Utica College's student radio station, WPNR 90.7 FM… Make sure to catch live video, audio and stats on Pioneers All-Access: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Make sure to follow live updates of all the action on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers … If you are at the games and on Twitter, or talking about the games 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.
