UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's hockey team is back at home this weekend to face UCHC conference foe Wilkes University for a two-game series. Friday's game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., while Saturday's 8th annual Gold Ribbon Game puck drop will also be at 2:30 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers swept a two-game series on the road last weekend at Lebanon Valley College, outscoring the Flying Dutchmen 7-2. In game one, Utica scored four unanswered goals including three in the third period to prevail 4-1. The Pioneers were led by juniors Maggie Rylott (Cobourg, Ontario/West Northumberland), Carolyn Whitney (Raleigh, NC/Milbrook School), and Erica Sloan (Potsdam, NY/St. Lawrence Steel), and senior Georgiana Santullo (Woburn, MA/Boston Shamrocks/Woburn High School) who each contributed a goal to the offense. In game two, Sloan and Santullo each had a goal and two assists, and sophomore Carly Stefanini (Framingham, MA/Brooks School) added a goal and assist to lift UC to a 3-1 victory. Sophomore goaltender Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) compiled a .956 save percentage over two games by stopping 27-of-28 shots on Friday and 16-of-17 on Saturday.
 
PLAYING FOR A CAUSE: Saturday's game is the 8^th annual gold ribbon game for childhood cancer awareness.  The Pioneers have dedicated one game each season to raising awareness for this important cause, one which hits close to home for the program.  UC will be wearing special edition uniforms that feature a gold ribbon, the color of childhood cancer awareness.  These jerseys are currently being auctioned off online (HERE) as well as in the arena during Saturday's game.  All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Hope in Action Foundation, which is a local non-profit that assists families during all stages of their child's battle with cancer.  In the history of the gold ribbon game, the Pioneers have raised over $30,000 for local families dealing with childhood cancer. 
 
CLAUSEN HITS 300: With Saturday's win at Lebanon Valley, Head Coach Dave Clausen earned his 300th career win as the bench boss for the Pioneers. Clausen, who is the only coach in program history, has coached the team for the past 21 seasons and has compiled a 300-204-32 record. Clausen is ranked 21st all-time for most wins in NCAA women's ice hockey history (DI and DIII).
 
A CHANCE AT HISTORY: With an 18-3 record so far this season, the Pioneers are one game away from tying the most wins in team history. During the 2015-2016 season, Utica went 19-8-1 en route to an ECAC West Championship game appearance, falling one game shy of earning an NCAA Tournament berth. UC has already set a new program record with 15 conference wins this season.
 
NATIONAL ATTENTION: The Pioneers are currently in the "receiving votes" category of the DCU/USCHO Division III Women's Poll for the second straight week. This marks the first time since Oct. 31, 2016 where UC received votes in back-to-back weeks. The team was ranked No. 9 nationally at the start of the 2016 season.
 
A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE: The Pioneers have clinched at least second place in the UCHC standings as Utica (15-1 UCHC) has 45 points in league play.  Nazareth holds the top spot with 48 points (16-0 UCHC), and Stevenson is third with 31 points (10-6 UCHC). UC has earned the right to host a quarterfinal game as well as a semifinal game if it advances. 
Utica has four conference games remaining, with the final two of them coming against conference rival and nationally ranked No.7 Nazareth College at home. 
 
STATISTICAL SUCCESS: Utica is ranked in the top three nationally in a plethora of statistics. These statistics include being first in total assists (196), second in team points (315), third in total goals (119), power play goals (25), scoring margin (4.48), scoring offense (5.67), short-handed goals (six), team faceoff win percentage (.593) and team shutouts (nine).
 
SUPER SENIOR: Forward Georgiana Santullo (Woburn, MA/Boston Shamrocks/Woburn High School) has continued her spectacular senior campaign as she currently leads the country in goals (24), goals per game (1.20), and power play goals (eight).  Santullo is also second nationally with 2.10 points per game.  She currently is second on the program's single-season goal scoring list.  She needs one more to tie former All-American and Pioneer Hall of Famer Deana Weigand '07 for first on the list. 
 
HELPING HAND: Another upperclassman who is having a standout season is junior Erica Sloan (Potsdam, NY/St. Lawrence Steel). Sloan's 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) is second both on the team and in the conference. Sloan also leads the UCHC and she ranks fifth nationally with 1.10 assists per game. Sloan is in the midst of a five-game point streak in which she has scored five goals and added seven assists.
 
YOU SHALL NOT PASS: After her impressive weekend against Lebanon Valley, sophomore goaltender Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) was named UCHC Goaltender of the Week. With a 12-1 record, Hawthorne looks to keep herself in the running for UCHC goaltender of the year, as she currently leads the conference and sits fourth in the nation in shutouts (five), third in the conference and ninth in the nation in goals against average (1.105) and third in the UCHC with a .944 save percentage.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP: Second year player Carly Stefanini (Framingham, MA/Brooks School) ranks third on the team with 30 points on 10 goals and 20 assists, all of which are career highs.  Stefanini has recorded at least one point in each of her last six games and she has totaled nine points (one goal, eight assists) during that streak. 
 
SCOUTING WILKES: The Colonels are 3-14-0 overall (3-12-0 UCHC) and are currently coming off of wins in two of their last three games. Wilkes is led by junior Julie Patterson (five goals, three assists) and senior Kendall Castro (three goals, five assists), who each have eight points on the season. Utica is 6-0 all-time against Wilkes. The last time these two teams played was on March 13, 2021, where the Pioneers used three special teams goals to defeat the Colonels 5-2.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Utica will close out its regular season schedule next weekend as it remains at home to face UCHC rival and No. 7 ranked Nazareth College in a two-game series. Friday's game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and Saturday's puck will drop at 1:30 p.m.