UTICA, NY- The Utica College field hockey team hits the road Saturday as it travels to Empire 8 frontrunner, Washington & Jefferson College.  Game time is scheduled for 10 a.m. at W&J's Cameron Stadium.   
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming off a 3-2 loss to Stevens Institute of Technology on Sunday… Utica was up 2-0, but the Ducks were able to mount a second-half comeback to earn the win… Senior Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) had both goals, while Jessica Belt (Webster, NY/Webster-Schroeder) and Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) each picked up one assist… Freshman Megan Chamberlain (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) made eight saves in the loss.
 
LEADING THE WAY: Senior Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) has racked up a conference-best 13 goals and 29 points this year… 13 goals in a season is a new career-best for Meelan… She needs one more point to match her career-high of 30 points, which she scored last season… Meelan is currently seventh all-time with 87 career points and she needs just two more points to move into sixth place on the College's career scoring list.
 
DISHING IT OUT: Sophomores Sydney Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) are tied for the team lead with four assists each… Scaccia also had three goals on the year to rank second on the squad with ten points, while Whitehouse is right behind her with eight points. 
 
SAVING THE DAY: Senior Madison Babicz (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) leads the E8 with seven defensive saves… Seven defensive saves in a season ties the program record, which is currently held by 2018 graduate, Jordan Noga (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro)… Babicz ranks second amongst field players with 726 minutes of playing time logged this season… Sophomore Jenny Robbins (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg) is third in the conference with four defensive saves and she leads all Pioneers with 776 minutes played this year. 
 
SCOUTING W&J: The Presidents, who are ranked No. 18 in the latest NFHCA national poll, are undefeated on the season with an 11-0 overall record and a 5-0 mark in the Empire 8… W&J is led by senior Rachel Buyan, who has 10 goals and 22 points so far… Sophomore goalie Rena Israel has a .960 save percentage and .11 goals against average in nine starts.   
 
AGAINST THE PRESIDENTS: Utica is 3-3 against W&J in the last five seasons, however the Presidents have held the upper hand recently, winning the last three meetings… Last year, UC fell 2-1 during the regular season and then 3-1 in the Empire 8 Championship game… Josie Sgarlata (Canastota, NY/Canastota) and Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton) scored for UC.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers return home on Wednesday to host Skidmore College.  Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.