UTICA, NY – The Utica College women's lacrosse team is on the road this weekend for a pair of Empire 8 Conference games. UC will face Houghton College and Alfred University. The Pioneers will face-off against Houghton on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. Then on Sunday, Utica will travel to play Alfred University at 1 p.m.
 
Last Time Out: UC lost its second game in a row to conference opponent Stevens Institute of Technology 13-8 last Saturday … The Pioneers were down five goals at halftime and rallied in the second to be down 9-7 … The Ducks scored four more goals in a row before time expired and came away with the win … Senior Courtney Wheeler (Ava, NY/Rome Free Academy) led the team with three point finishing with two points and one assist … Senior Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) had six saves in the loss.
 
Leading The Way: The Pioneers have five players with ten points or more on the season … Junior Rebecca Plunkett (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) leads the way with 30 points (29 goals and one assist), Courtney Wheeler (Ava, NY/Rome Free Academy) has 29 points (25 goals and four assists), Sophomore has 17 points (eight goals and nine assists), Freshman Katlyn Scarpinella (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) has 16 points (13 goals and three assists), and Senior Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) has 10 points (seven points and three assists).
 
Helping Out: There are nine more players that have tailed one point or more this season …  Freshman Mary Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) has nine points (seven goals and two assists), junior Amanda Chruscicki (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) has eight points (three goals and five assists), junior Sara Hennessey (East Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) has seven points (three goals and four assists), freshman Natalie Capriglione (New Milford, CT/New Milford Greenwave) has two points (one goal and one assist) … Five more players have recorded a point each, senior Mary Morgan Marafino (Monroe, NY/Central Square), freshman Noelle Capriglione (New Milford, CT/New Milford Greenwave) and freshman Jessica Steinhilber (Plainview, NY/Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK) each have one goal … Juniors Tewasherake Barnes (Akwesasne, NY/Salmon River) and Maggie Notter (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes) have one assist.
 
In The Net: Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) has played in eight games this season … She has a 4-4 record, 50 saves, a .424 saves percentage, and an 9.56 goals against average … Amanda Lupo (Auburn, NY/Skaneateles) has played in five games, while starting two … She has a 2-0 record, 13 saves, a .542 saves percentage, and an 4.72 goals against average … Casey is fourth in the Empire 8 in saves per game (6.25), tenth in goals against average (9.56), and ninth in saves percentage (.424).
 
Defensive Stand: Senior Briana Estabrook (Tully, NY/Tully ) and junior Maggie Notter (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes) lead the way on defense … Estabrook has a team-high 24 caused turnovers and Notter is second with 22 caused turnovers … Estabrook is second in the Empire 8 in caused turnovers per game (2.18) while Notter is fifth in the conference in caused turnovers per game (2.00).
 
Scouting The Highlanders: The Highlanders are 4-8 on the regular season and 1-3 in the Empire 8 … Houghton is led by Chandler Jones who has a team-high 54 points (15 goals and 39 assists) and averages 3.25 assists per game … Behind Jones is Jennifer Zacchigna who has 44 points (39 goals and five assists) and averages 3.25 goals per game.
 
Against Houghton: The Pioneers have won all three match ups against the Highlanders … Utica won last season's game 17-9.
 
Scouting The Saxons: The Saxons are 4-10 on the regular season and 0-5 in the Empire 8 … Miranda Gilbert leads Alfred with 27 points (26 goals and one assist), following Gilbert is Morgan Timmerman with (15 goals and four assists).
 
Against Alfred: The Pioneers have an overall 11-3 record against the Saxons … Utica won last season's game 15-5.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers return to action next Wednesday as they host conference opponent Hartwick College. The game is scheduled at 7 p.m.