Rochester, NY– The second-seeded Utica College field hockey team fell to the third-seeded Hartwick Hawks by a score of 3-2 in the opening round of the Empire 8 tournament Friday night. UC battled for the duration of this contest, but was unable to notch a score-evening goal going down the stretch.
 
The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead in the sixth minute of this match when Josie Sgarlata (Canastota, NY/Canastota) found the back of the net on a feed from Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich). Jeslyn Files (Weedsport, NY/Weedsport) was also credited with the assist on this score.
 
Hartwick responded with three unanswered goals of its own in the 19^th, 27^th and 25^th minute from Brooke Singer, Sydney Gagnon and Allison Quirk.
 
The Hawks held a 3-1 advantage all the way until the 52^nd minute, when Ricki Haab (Stowe, VT/Stowe) drew the Pioneers within one on a successful penalty shot conversion. 
 
This proved to be too little too late for Utica, as Hartwick would hold the Pioneers scoreless for the final eight minutes of the game to secure the victory.
 
This marks the end of a very successful 2019 UC field hockey campaign. This team dominated E8 competition, posting a 6-1 record in the Empire 8 en route to a second-place finish in the conference.