UTICA, NY- The Utica College field hockey team looks to ride its momentum into its Empire 8 Conference opener Saturday as it hosts Nazareth College.  Game time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are fresh off a 3-1 win over Ithaca College on Wednesday evening… Seniors Madison Williams (Prospect, NY/Holland Patent) and Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) and sophomore Joanna Gaertner (Schuylerville, NY/Schuylerville) each scored one goal on the day… Josie Sgarlata (Canastota, NY/Canastota), Jessica Belt (Webster, NY/Webster-Schroeder), and Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) were each credited with one assist… Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) made eight saves in the win.
 
HOT START: Wednesday's win moved Utica's record to 3-0 to start the 2017 campaign… The last time the Pioneers started the season with three straight wins was in 2013 when UC finished 17-5 en route to its second straight Empire 8 Conference title and NCAA "Sweet Sixteen" appearance.
 
BALANCED ATTACK: Four different players have scored for UC so far, and seven different players have collected at least one point through the first three games… Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa), Joanna Gaertner (Schuylerville, NY/Schuylerville), and Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) each have two goals on the year… Both of Gaertner's tallies have been game-winners. 
 
SHE'S A BRICK, HOUSE: Senior Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) continues to lead the conference in both save percentage (.885) and goals against average (.933)… Whitehouse was recently named the Empire 8 Conference Defensive Player of the Week after she totaled 16 saves and helped the Pioneers to a pair of one-goal wins last weekend, including her fifth career shutout… Whitehouse has started 21 straight games for the Pioneers.
 
SCOUTING NAZARETH: The Golden Flyers are 1-2 overall and they are coming off an 8-0 win over Wells on Wednesday… Naz is led by freshman Lydia Dewart, who has a team-best five points (two goals, one assist) on the season.
 
AGAINST THE GOLDEN FLYERS: The Pioneers are 13-3 all-time against Nazareth… Last year, UC came away with a 2-0 win over over the Golden Flyers… Jordan Noga (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) had one goal, while Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) had four saves. 
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Following this weekend's contest, The Pioneers travel to Troy, NY on Wednesday to take on RPI… Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.