UTICA, NY- The Utica College field hockey team returns home this weekend for a pair of games. The Pioneers will host Washington & Jefferson College on Saturday before capping off the weekend Sunday versus Cortland. Game time is scheduled for 12 p.m. both days.
LAST TIME OUT: UC snapped a three-game skid with a big 4-1 win at Stevens in Empire 8 action on Saturday… Four different players scored on the day, including
Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton),
Jessica Belt (Webster, NY/Webster-Schroeder),
Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich), and sophomore
Ricki Haab (Stowe, VT/Stowe) netted her first career goal… Meelan, Haab, and
Joanna Gaertner (Schuylerville, NY/Schuylerville) each record one assist on the day as well… Senior
Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) made nine saves in net.
THINK PINK: The Pioneers will be wearing special pink jerseys throughout the month of October to raise awareness for breast cancer… Additionally, UC will be dedicating Saturday's game to breast cancer awareness and showing their support for all those who are fighting… Fans are encouraged to wear pink to watch the Pioneers take on W&J on Saturday.
WHERE WE SIT: The Pioneers are currently 6-4 overall and they rank fourth in the Empire 8 Conference standings with a 3-2 mark in league play… Utica has two conference games remaining, Saturday against second place W&J, and next Saturday at Elmira College.
SENIOR DAY: The team will honor its eight seniors who are playing in their final home game on Sunday…
Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich),
Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa),
Madison Williams (Prospect, NY/Holland Patent),
Jordan Noga (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro),
Gianna Cavalier (Northport, NY/Commack),
Maria Orsino (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit),
Abby Bird (Nineveh, NY/Harpursville), and manager
Nicole Kamens (Danvers, MA/Danvers) will be honored prior to game time.
LEADING THE WAY: Junior
Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) leads the team in goals (seven), assists (four), and points (18)… 18 points in a season is a new career-best for Meelan, and she needs just one more goal to match her career-high of eight, which she accomplished as a freshman.
HELPING OUT: Freshman
Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) ranks second on the team with five goals and 13 points… Two of her goals have been game-winners and UC is 4-2 this season when she records at least one point… Senior
Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) and sophomore
Joanna Gaertner (Schuylerville, NY/Schuylerville) are tied for third on the team with seven points each.
SHUTTING THE DOOR: Defensively, seniors
Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) and
Jordan Noga (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) have helped keep the ball out of the net… Whitehouse ranks second in the conference with a .798 save percentage and she is averaging 9.90 saves per game, which is the second highest in the E8… Noga is second in the conference with six defensive saves, just one off her single-season program record of seven, which she accomplished last year.
SCOUTING WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON: The Presidents are 6-3 overall and they are in the midst of a five-game winning streak… Most recently, W&J defeated Frostburg State 2-1, thanks to a penalty stroke in overtime… W&J is one of only two teams undefeated in Empire 8 play as the Presidents are 3-0 in the conference… Utica is 4-3 against W&J in the last seven meetings… Last year, UC dropped a 4-0 decision to the Presidents.
SCOUTING CORTLAND: The Red Dragons are 8-3 overall and 2-1 in the SUNYAC… They are coming off an 8-0 win over St. Lawrence on Wednesday… Cortland has now shut out its opponents in each of the last three games… Utica and Cortland met for the first time ever last season, with the Red Dragons coming away with a 1-0 victory.
LOOKING AHEAD: Next up, the Pioneers will travel to Elmira College next Saturday for an Empire 8 Conference match up… Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
