UTICA, NY- Freshman Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) and junior transfer Meghan McCormick (Ava, NY/RFA) extended their goal-scoring streaks to three games to help lift the Utica College field hockey team to a 4-0 win over Houghton College in Empire 8 Conference action Saturday afternoon at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.
 
Utica improves to 3-6 on the year (2-1 Empire 8) and picks up some much needed momentum headed into a showdown at nationally ranked No. 11 Skidmore College on Sunday.  Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Saratoga Springs, NY.
 
The Pioneers jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 14:22 as McCormick rocketed home a pass from senior Tori Couture (Auburn, ME/Edward Little ) off a penalty corner for her third tally of the year.  McCormick had a hand in the second Utica goal as well, as she played a ball between the defender's legs to Meelan, who fired home her team-high fifth goal of the year to give UC the two-goal cushion.
 
Freshman Rebecca Kauffman (Mount Joy, PA/Linden Hall) added to the Utica lead with just 37 seconds left in the second half as she netted an unassisted tally for her second of the year.  Senior Taylor Lukins (Weedsport, NY/Weedsport Central) capped off the scoring with under three minutes remaining in the game as she cleaned up a rebound from Rachael Scaramuzzino (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) for her first career goal. 
 
Sophomore Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) and senior Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) combined for three saves in the shutout, while Houghton's Elizabeth Modesto totaled 16 saves in the loss.