HOUGHTON, NY- The Utica College field hockey team fought off a second-half rally as it held on for a 3-2 win over host Houghton College in Empire 8 Conference action Saturday afternoon.  Junior Jordan Noga (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) netted her second game-winner in as many contests.
 
The Pioneers got on the board at 16:09 of the first half as sophomore Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) netted her team-leading fifth goal of the season.  Junior Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) assisted on the play.  Meelan's tally proved to be the only score of the first 35 minutesas the Pioneers went into halftime with a 1-0 lead. 
 
Not to be outdone, senior Rachael Scaramuzzino (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) netted her fifth tally of the season, also off a feed from Koch to give the Pioneers a two-goal cushion at 46:29. 
 
The Highlanders battled back to score two goals in just under four minutes as Ashley Hughes found the back of the cage for the second time this year, off an assist from Kelsie Ashley.  Then, Ashley netted a goal of her own to make it a tie game at 58:05 of the second half.
 
With just under six minutes remaining in regulation, Noga netted her second career goal, off an assist from Rebecca Kauffman (Mount Joy, PA/Linden Hall), to seal the Pioneer victory.
 
Houghton outshot Utica 10-9 on the day and the Highlanders held a 12-9 lead in penalty corners.  Junior Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) made four saves in the win.  She now has 136 saves the season, tying her with Amanda McDonnell '09 for second on the College's single-season list. 
 
Utica improves to 4-10 overall and 3-4 in the Empire 8.  The Pioneers return to action Sunday as they travel to SUNY Cortland for a match up against the Red Dragons.  Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.