CLINTON, NY- The Utica College women's hockey team extended its season-opening winning streak to nine games as it downed local rival, Hamilton College 3-2 in non-conference action Sunday afternoon.
 
The Pioneers improve to 9-0 on the year, marking their best start to a season in program history.  UC will have a quick turnaround as it travels to Morrisville State on Tuesday for a non-conference clash.  Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
After a scoreless first period, junior Olivia Hirschy (Fort Wayne, IN/Culver Academies) put the Pioneers up 1-0 just 1:20 into the second stanza as she buried a rebound off a Rebecca Brown (Steamboat Springs, CO/Norwich University) shot.  Freshman Caley Susitti (Hartland, WI/Milwaukee Jr. Admirals) picked up the second assist on the play.
 
Hamilton responded at 6:09 when Lexi Takashima's point shot fooled Utica goalie Bria Reilly (Hamden, CT/Brewster Academy) for her first collegiate tally.  Alayna Trice and Nancy Loh assisted on the equalizer.  The Continentals took a one-goal lead just over halfway through the period when Kelli Mackey put in her second of the season, on the power play, assisted by Jess Haviland.
 
Utica evened the score at 12:29 as sophomore Nicole Johnson (North Easton, MA/Holderness) put in her second of the year.  Johnson won a race to a loose puck to negate an icing and then skated behind the Continental net before tucking in a wraparound attempt.  Sophomore Katrina Cornick (Mason City, IA/Rocky Mountain Roughriders) and senior Kirsten Johnson (Brockville, Ontario/RSL Midget Thunder AA) assisted on the equalizer.
 
Hirschy netted her second of the day at 8:14 of the third as she picked up a failed clear attempt just inside the Hamilton blue line and played a puck between the legs of goalie Sidney Molnar for her fifth of the year.  Junior Kyra Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Holderness) assisted on the game-winner.
 
That was all UC needed as the Pioneer defense held strong so secure the victory.  Junior Bria Reilly (Hamden, CT/Brewster Academy) made 35 saves to pick up her seventh win of the year, while Molnar made 20 saves in the loss for Hamilton.