UTICA, NY- The Utica College field hockey team faces a tough test Tuesday as it travels to nearby Clinton, NY to take on nationally ranked No. 8, Hamilton College.  Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming off a 4-1 loss to Empire 8 frontrunner, St. John Fisher on Saturday… Senior Maria Orsino (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit) netted her first goal of the year, while Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) tallied the assist… Senior Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) made eight saves in net and classmate Jordan Noga (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) collected her league-leading fifth defensive save of the season.
 
LEADING THE WAY: Junior Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) leads the team with five goals and 13 points so far… Meelan has already scored more points this season than all of last year, and she needs just four more points to match her offensive output from her freshman season.
 
HELPING OUT: Freshman Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) is second on the squad with 10 points (four goals, two assists)… Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) and Joanna Gaertner (Schuylerville, NY/Schuylerville) are tied for third on the team with six points each. 
 
SAVING THE DAY: Senior Jordan Noga (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) leads the Empire 8 and ranks third nationally with five defensive saves so far… Noga set a new single-season program record last year with seven defensive saves, and she is on track to set a new record this season. 
 
SCOUTING HAMILTON:  The Continentals were ranked No. 8 nationally in last week's coaches' poll… Hamilton is 4-2 overall and the team is coming off a 1-0 loss at Connecticut College on Saturday… The Continentals are led by sophomore Michaela Giuttari, who has 15 points (seven goals, one assist) through six games. 
 
AGAINST THE CONTINENTALS: Utica is 3-2 against Hamilton in the last five years… Last year, Hamilton came away with a 7-0 victory at Gaetano Stadium… Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) made 10 saves in goal for UC.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers wrap up their four-game road trip Saturday as they travel to Hoboken, NJ to face Empire 8 foe, Stevens Institute of Technology… Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m.