TROY, NY- The Utica College field hockey team exploded for five goals in the first half and added two more scores in the second stanza to down host the Sage Colleges 7-1 in Empire 8 Conference action Saturday afternoon. Five different players scored on the day for Utica. 
 
The Pioneers improve to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the E8.  Utica also gains some much-needed momentum heading into its home opener against Brockport on Wednesday.  Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
UC wasted little time getting things going as junior Ricki Haab (Stowe, VT/Stowe) netted her first of the season just 1:53 into play.  The Pioneers added to their lead at 10:44 as senior Maria Orsino (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit) netted her second of the year, unassisted. 
 
Utica tacked on three more scores, one by Fiona Shea (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia), one by Rylee Meelan (Clinton, NY/Clinton), and Haab netted a penalty stroke goal for her second of the day to give the Pioneers a commanding 5-0 lead heading into halftime.
 
Sage was finally able to get on the board at 45:48 as Cortney Conley put in her second of the year, assisted by Sara O'Conner. 
 
Sophomore Jeslyn Files (Weedsport, NY/Weedsport) netted her first career goal with 7:35 remaining and Meelan tacked on her second of the day just over three minutes later to seal the victory.  Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) and Abbey Fitzgerald (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) were each credited with one assist in the win.
 
Freshmen Megan Chamberlain (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) and Madison Cudhea (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) combined for four saves in the win, while Alicia Swavely had nine saves for the Gators.