ELMIRA, NY- The Utica College women's hockey team handed Elmira College its first loss of the season Wednesday night as it downed the Soaring Eagles 2-1 in a designated non-conference game. 
 
This marks Utica's first win over Elmira since March 5, 2016, when the Pioneers cruised to a 5-1 win in the playoff semifinals of the now-defunct ECAC West Conference. 
 
Unlike the first two meetings between the teams this year, Elmira scored the game's first goal when Emma Crocker scored at 6:40 of the first period off assists from Devyn Gilman and Mary McCafferty.  The power play tally was Crocker's six goal of the season.
 
The Pioneers finally got the equalizer with 4:06 remaining in the second stanza as freshman Alexa Carlon (Lakewood, NY/Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) buried a feed from Carolyn Whitney (Raleigh, NC/Milbrook School) for her fourth of the year.  Sophomore Abby Lillis (West Seneca, NY/Buffalo Bisons) was also credited with an assist on the tying goal.
 
The trio connected again at 7:26 of the third frame this time as Whitney found the back of the net off assists from Carlon and Lillis for the crucial go-ahead goal. 
 
The home team turned up the pressure, firing 21 shots on net in the third, but junior Savannah Gutierrez (Huntington Beach, CA/Anaheim Lady Ducks) was rock solid.  Gutierrez stopped 37-of-38 shots she faced for her second win of the season, while her counterpart, Elizabeth Hanson finished with 20 saves for Elmira.
 
The Pioneers improve to 6-5 on the year and pick up some crucial momentum as the regular season winds down.  Utica's next game is to be determined as its contest against Neumann University originally scheduled for Saturday has been postponed.