UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's hockey team returns home this weekend to host conference opponent, Lebanon Valley in a UCHC series.  Game time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. 
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming off a 1-0-1 weekend at Manhattanville, picking up three big points in the UCHC Conference standings…  The teams skated to a 0-0 tie on Friday before Utica was able to come away with a 3-1 win on Saturday… Seniors Taylor Osowski (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects), Carlie Smith (Grimsby, Ontario/St. Catharine's Chaos), and Kelly Critzer (West Salem, OH/Ohio Flames) each had a goal, while classmates Meghan Power (Windsor, Ontario/Southwest Wildcats), Jennifer Arts (Lakeside, Ontario/London Devilettes), and Veronique Lortie (Chambly, Quebec/Berkshire School) tallied one assist apiece… Sophomore Bria Reilly (Hamden, CT/Brewster Academy) totaled 49 saves on the weekend and picked up her second shutout of the season on Friday.
 
GOLD RIBBON JERSEY BIDDING ENDING SOON: Do not miss out on your chance to own a special edition UC hockey jersey… All season long the Pioneers have worn special edition uniforms that feature a gold ribbon – the color of childhood cancer awareness – to promote awareness of the disease and show support for all those who have fought or are currently fighting cancer… The jerseys are currently being auctioned off online (HERE) and bidding can be done in person at one of the four remaining regular season home games… Bidding will conclude at the end of Utica's game against Kings College on Saturday, February 17… All money raised from Utica's annual Gold Ribbon game and through the jersey auction will be donated to the family of a local child who is battling cancer… The Pioneers have raised over $22,000 for the cause over the last five years.
 
A LOOK AT THE STANDINGS: The Pioneers are currently sixth in the UCHC Conference standings, just one point behind Manhattanville and four points behind Stevenson… Utica's four remaining games are against teams below it in the standings. 
 
REILLY SNAGS GOALIE OF THE WEEK HONORS: Sophomore net minder Bria Reilly (Hamden, CT/Brewster Academy) was named the UCHC Goalie of the Week on Tuesday after totaling 49 saves last weekend… Reilly helped the Pioneers pick up three big points in the conference standings as she allowed just one goal on the weekend… On Friday she turned aside all 21 shots she faced to pick up her second career shutout… She followed that up with 28 saves in a 3-1 win over the Valiants on Saturday… Reilly and the Utica defense also held Manhattanville scoreless on nine power plays.
 
HEATING UP: Senior Taylor Osowski (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects) has netted four goals and one assist in her last five games… She currently leads the team with six goals and she is tied for fifth in points (15)… Osowski, who was Utica's leading goal-scorer last season, finished her junior campaign with 11 points in the final 12 games… Osowski is peaking at the right time as Utica has four regular season games remaining, all of which are UCHC Conference contests. 
 
LEADING THE WAY: Sophomore Rebecca Brown (Steamboat Springs, CO/Norwich University) and junior Elizabeth Dohner (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects) each have a team-high 14 points… They also have a share of the team lead with five goals and nine assists.
 
HELPING OUT: Senior Meghan Power (Windsor, Ontario/Southwest Wildcats) is third on the team with 13 points… 10 of her 13 points have come in conference play… She also leads the squad with 10 assists.
 
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST: Seniors Carlie Smith (Grimsby, Ontario/St. Catharine's Chaos), Jennifer Arts (Lakeside, Ontario/London Devilettes), and Veronique Lortie (Chambly, Quebec/Berkshire School) have put up their best numbers of their careers so far in their final year in the orange and blue… Smith is tied for fifth on the team with 10 points (four goals, six assists), one more than her total of nine points last year… Arts and Lortie are right behind Smith with nine points each… Arts has had a break out year, netting a career-high three goals and six assists… Lortie also has a career-best three goals and she is one assist shy of matching her highest output of seven, which she accomplished as a freshman… Both Smith and Lortie are tied with Taylor Osowski (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects) for the active lead with 103 career games played. 
 
SCOUTING LEBANON VALLEY: The Dutchmen are 2-15-2 overall and 1-10-1 in the UCHC… Lebanon Valley is coming off a pair of losses to Stevenson University last weekend… Nikki Lloyd leads the team with five goals and six points on the year.

AGAINST THE DUTCHMEN: This will be just the third meeting all-time between LVC and Utica… Last year, the Pioneers defeated the Dutchmen 9-0 and 7-1… Taylor Dion (Colchester, VT/Boston Shamrocks), Danielle Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Balmoral Hall), Taylor Osowski (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects), Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Belle Tire), Elizabeth Dohner (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects), and Jennifer Liu (North Saanich, British Columbia/Shaftesbury Titans) each scored for Utica in the wins. 

LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers wrap up the regular season next weekend with a pair of games against Kings College… Game time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.