OSWEGO, NY- The Utica College women's hockey team dropped its first game back from the winter break as it fell to host Oswego State 5-2 in non-conference action Sunday afternoon.
 
With the loss, the Pioneers drop to 7-5 overall.  Utica will look to rebound next weekend as it takes on UCHC rival Elmira College in a home-and-home series.  The teams will face off on Friday at 7 p.m. in Elmira before traveling to Utica on Saturday for a 3 p.m. puck drop.
 
Oswego used two goals just 1:43 apart take a 2-0 lead after the first 20 minutes.  Utica responded at 8:43 of the second period as senior Veronique Lortie (Chambly, Quebec/Berkshire School) put in her second of the year off a feed from classmate Jennifer Arts (Lakeside, Ontario/London Devilettes) to cut the deficit in half.  Freshman transfer Nicole Johnson (North Easton, MA/Holderness) was also credited with an assist in her first game as a Pioneer.
 
The Lakers regained the two-goal lead with just 21 seconds remaining in the second stanza as Natalie Giglio found the back of the net for her first of the year.
 
Utica once again came within one this time off the stick of junior Elizabeth Dohner (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects) as she scored a short-handed unassisted tally just 11 seconds into the third period.  Oswego added two more goals, one of which was an empty-netter, in the final 5:15 of play to come away with the victory.
 
Freshman Gabrielle Igo (Phoenix, AZ/Northern Cyclones) made 13 saves in two periods of work, while sophomore Bria Reilly (Hamden, CT/Brewster Academy) totaled 10 saves in 20 minutes of action.  Oswego's Amber Samonek turned aside 18 shots in the win.