UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's hockey team returns from break Sunday as it hosts nationally ranked No. 9 Norwich University.  Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.
 
FIRST HALF WRAP UP: The Pioneers (9-3-1) wrapped up the first semester with one of the best starts in program history… UC is currently fifth in the ECAC West Conference standings with a 5-3-1 record in league play… Their three losses came at the hands of nationally ranked No. 2 Elmira College, 4-1 and 2-1, and most recently a 2-1 loss to Williams College on Dec. 12.
 
SUPPORTING THE CAUSE: During all home games throughout the month of January, the Pioneers will be wearing special edition gold ribbon uniforms to raise awareness for the fight against childhood cancer… UC will wrap up the month with the 4^th annual Shawn Grady Fund Gold Ribbon Game for childhood cancer awareness on Jan. 29 against ECAC West Conference foe, Neumann University (7 p.m.)… The jerseys are currently being auctioned off online (HERE), as well as in the arena the night of the event... The minimum bid for a gold ribbon jersey is $100 and you can also purchase the jersey immediately for $300… Bidding must be made in increments of $5.
 
LEADING THE WAY: Senior Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) ranks eighth nationally with 1.69 points per game… Her 12 goals on the season are also a team-best… Junior Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) is ninth in scoring (1.62 points per game) and her 15 assists on the season lead the nation… UC is 8-1-1 so far when both Reed and Schnepp tally at least one point. 
 
FRESHMEN FITTING IN: Six different freshmen have found their name on the score sheet so far this season… Lauren Patterson (Burlington, Ontario/Oakville) leads all first year players with five goals and she is also second on the squad with 12 assists… Patterson also ranks third nationally in rookie scoring with 1.31 points per game… Defender Kayla Dion (Colchester, VT/Boston Shamrocks ) has four assists, while Danielle Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Balmoral Hall), Taylor Dion (Colchester, VT/Boston Shamrocks), Elizabeth Dohner (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects), and Jennifer Liu (North Saanich, British Columbia/Shaftesbury Titans ) each have one goal.
 
HAASBEEK NAMED TO TEAM OF THE WEEK: Freshman Danielle Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Balmoral Hall) was named to the D3hockey.com Team of the Week following Utica's last action before the break… Haasbeek netted her first career goal, the eventual game winner, and added an assist in UC's 4-0 win over Morrisville on Dec. 9... She finished the week with a plus/minus rating of +3 and helped the Pioneers extend their shutout streak to four games, before Williams broke the streak… On the season, she has totaled three points (one goal, two assists) and she leads all defensemen with a plus-eight rating.
 
SHUTTING THE DOOR: Junior Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) ranks fifth nationally with a 1.00 goals against average and .959 save percentage… Her school-record five shutouts on the year are also tied for second in all of Division III. 
 
SCOUTING NORWICH: The Cadets are currently ranked No. 9 in both national polls after starting the season 7-3 (6-0 NEHC)… All three of Norwich's losses have come to teams currently ranked sixth or higher in the most recent national rankings… Sophomore Sarah Schwenzfeier and junior Adelle Murphy each have a team-best six goals, while junior Céleste Robert boasts an impressive 1.25 goals against average and .949 save percentage… The Norwich power play ranks second nationally with a 30.0 percent success rate. 
 
AGAINST THE CADETS: Utica is 1-3 all-time against Norwich… Last year, the Pioneers fell to the Cadets 2-1 on the road… Victoria Pelton (Sterling Heights, MI/Belle Tire) scored the power play tally, while Reed and Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Grass Lake) had the assists.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: Make sure to follow live updates of the game on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers… If you are at the game and on Twitter, or talking about the game 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.
 
PIONEERS ALL-ACCESS: Make sure to catch live video, audio and stats on Pioneers All-Access: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/ … Audio is provided by WPNR 90.7 FM.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Next up, the Pioneers travel to No. 8 Middlebury College next Friday...  Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.