UTICA, NY- The Utica College field hockey team suffered its first Empire 8 Conference loss of the season Saturday as it fell to visiting St. John Fisher College 4-1.
 
The Pioneers (4-7, 2-1 Empire 8) will look to rebound Sunday as they host Stevens Institute of Technology.  Game time is scheduled for11 a.m.
 
Utica jumped out to a quick start as it outshot Fisher 6-0 through the first eight minutes of play.  The Pioneers were finally rewarded at 16:32 as sophomore Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) tucked a ball in from the left side of the net for her second of the year.  Classmate Sydney Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) assisted on the go-ahead tally.
 
The Cardinals evened the score at 25:07 as Lindsey Scott found the back of the net for her first of the year.
 
Fisher came out strong after halftime and Reghan Amoroso gave the Cardinals the lead just 2:46 into the second stanza as she put in a rebound in front for her second of the year.  Gianna Palma assisted on the play.
 
Fisher threatened to take a two-goal lead at 18:19 as the Cardinals were awarded a penalty stroke, but freshman Megan Chamberlain (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) deflected the ball over the net to keep the Pioneers within one.
 
The Cardinals were able to pull away with a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes to seal the victory.
 
Chamberlain finished with 15 saves on the day, and she also had some help from Madison Babicz (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford), who made two defensive saves, and Jenny Robbins (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg), who had one defensive save.  Ashley Maynard had nine saves in net for Fisher.