HOUGHTON, NY - The Utica University field hockey team dropped a closely contested Empire 8 opening game to the Houghton University Highlanders 2-1 on Saturday afternoon. 
 
The Highlanders took command of the first quarter, outshooting the Pioneers 5-0 but failed to find the back of the cage as the game was scoreless through the first 15 minutes of action. Houghton broke through at the 23:14 mark on an unassisted Bekah Davie goal to give the home team a 1-0 lead entering halftime. 
 
The tides began to turn for Utica in the second half as the team was able to double its shot total from two in the first half to four in the third quarter alone. However, three saves by Highlander goalkeeper Madison Tadusz in the third kept the home team ahead 1-0 entering the final quarter of play. 
 
The Pioneers broke through with less than eight minutes to play as Makayla Arnold (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) recorded her first goal as a Pioneer to even the score at one. Less than one minute later, Peyton Bentley converted on what turned out to be the game-winning goal for Houghton as the Pioneers fell on the road to the Highlanders, 2-1. 
 
Utica out-shot Houghton 12-10 throughout the game including 8-5 on goal while drawing 14 penalty corners to seven by the Highlanders. Shannon Jedreicich (Deer Park, NY/Half Hollow Hills East) attempted four of the Pioneers' shots while Mackenzie Mix (Camden, NY/Camden) took three looks and two each by Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) and Alanna Fragapane (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy ). Lyla Cushman (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent) tallied three saves in cage for the team as well 
 
Utica (1-3, 0-1 Empire 8) will return to non-conference play when the team travels to St. Lawrence University at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20 for its third of five-straight away games.