UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's hockey team clinched a spot in the UCHC Conference Tournament as it downed visiting Kings College 8-0 in conference action Friday afternoon.
 
The Pioneers have now made it to the postseason 18 times in the program's 19-year history.  With the win, Utica improves to 8-3-1 in conference play (8-11-1 overall).  The Pioneers return to action Saturday as they host Wilkes University.  Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. with a pregame ceremony to honor the Utica seniors beginning at 1:50 p.m.
 
Utica jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 13:12 of the first when junior Lexi Stanisewski's (Lawrence, MA/Boston Shamrocks) centering feed deflected off a skate in front and ended up in the back of the net for her fourth of the year and 50^th career point.  Caley Susitti (Hartland, WI/Milwaukee Jr. Admirals) and Ava Suda (Cheektowaga, NY/Buffalo Bisons) picked up assists on the opener.
 
The Pioneers kept up the pressure in the second as Georgiana Santullo (Woburn, MA/Boston Shamrocks/Woburn High School) finished off a 2-on-1 with freshman Maya Bennett (Belleville, ON/West Northumberland) for her team-leading eighth goal of the year just 41 seconds into the second stanza.  Freshman Carolyn Whitney (Raleigh, NC/Milbrook School) also picked up an assist on the insurance tally. 
 
Stanisewski added to the Utica lead just over the halfway mark of the second with her second of the day off assists from Lindsey Winter (Minneapolis, MN/Armstrong Cooper) and Olivia Hirschy (Fort Wayne, IN/Culver Academies).
 
UC pushed it to 4-0 at 15:30 of the second when freshman Holly Silva (Boston, MA/Worcester Academy) fired a low shot from the point that snuck just inside the left post for her first collegiate goal.  Hirschy and Whitney were credited with assists on the play.
 
Utica opened the flood gates in the third period with four goals. Santullo started the offensive onslaught at 10:55 as she once again hooked up with Bennett and Whitney.
 
Seniors Olivia Hirschy (Fort Wayne, IN/Culver Academies) and Ricki Haab (Stowe, VT/Stowe) scored just 13 seconds apart and Whitney capped off the scoring for the day with 2:41 remaining to secure the win.  Hirschy and Whitney led Utica with four points (one goal, three assists) each.  Santullo, Stanisewski, Bennett and Winter also had multi-point days.  
 
Senior Bria Reilly (Hamden, CT/Brewster Academy) stopped all 12 shots she faced, while Kiva Sierra Stoltz finished with 33 saves for Kings.  With the clean sheet, Reilly moves into a tie with Jill Doherty '10 for third on the College's career list with 10 shutouts to her credit.­­