UTICA, NY - The Utica University field hockey team hits the road for two matches this week. First, the team travels to non-conference opponent Union College on Tuesday at 6 p.m. before heading to Keuka College for an Empire 8 matchup on Friday at 5 p.m.
 
Follow Along: Union will provide live video via https://shorturl.at/izQUV and live stats at ttps://shorturl.at/mwI56. Keuka will have live video and stats at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/keukaathletics/. 
 
Last Time Out: The team celebrated senior day in exciting fashion with a 2-1 overtime win over the Nazareth University Golden Flyers on Saturday evening. Both Pioneer goals came from Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) who notched her second OT game-winner of the season. Emily Frank (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) assisted on the extra frame goal while Christina Jackson (Weedsport, NY/Weedsport) aided her first. Utica outshot Nazareth 25-1 overall and 19-1 on goal with Naz's lone shot resulting in a score. All three combined goals came over the final 10 minutes of play. Hannah Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls) earned the winning decision while Morgan Russo, despite 17 saves, picked up the loss for the Golden Flyers. Although the Pioneers had six chances in the first quarter and another eight in the second, Russo kept the Pioneers off the board as the game entered halftime 0-0. The third quarter saw more of the same as the second with Utica firing off eight shots, six of which on goal, but Russo denied each one to send the game into the fourth still scoreless. That would be when the fireworks in the game went off. Midway through the 51st minute and on the advantage, Lydia Coombs found Audra Mieczkowski near the cage and she was able to sneak it past Young for a 1-0 Nazareth lead. Just three minutes later, the Pioneers found themselves with a chance off a penalty corner. Jackson received a pass from Mackenzie Mix (Camden, NY/Camden) (Camden, NY/Camden) which caused Russo to come out of position to defend. This allowed an open Pisano to set herself up for a clean look and upon Jackson's pass, she did just that to even the score. With two minutes remaining in regulation, Shannon Jedreicich (Deer Park, NY/Half Hollow Hills East) had one more look on cage but Russo made her 17th save of the game to send the game into extra time. However, Pisano ensured that overtime wouldn't go on for long. Just 26 seconds in and off another corner, the ball was swung up top to Emily Frank (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) and the senior made a quick pass to Pisano who was in position to poke the ball in for the win. With the win, the Pioneers currently hold fourth place in the Empire 8. 
 
Where We Stand: The Pioneers are on a two-game winning streak with most recent victories against Russell Sage and Nazareth. Utica ranks fourth in the Empire 8 standings having a record of 2-2 with three conference games remaining against opponents Keuka, Hartwick, and Elmira and a non-conference game against Union. Madison Ranalli (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) leads the E8 in defensive saves and is tied for second in the country with 13 (one behind the national leader) with Nicole Servider (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) following her in the E8 and tied for 15th in the country with six. 
 
Clinical Finisher: Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) has been taking command of the Utica offense scoring five goals in four matches. She earned Empire 8 Co-Offensive player of the week award after her performance against Russell Sage and Nazareth. Pisano leads Utica with 22 points, 11 goals and 24 shots on goal. She ranks third in the Empire 8 in goals and seventh in points registering 22. Against Nazareth all five of her shots were on goal, with her last one coming in overtime 26 seconds into the game. She is one goal away from recording her career-high, 12 from the 2022 season. 
 
Young Stud: Hannah Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls) has guided Utica to two straight victories in Empire 8 play against Russell Sage and Nazareth. Over two games she's recorded four saves on 11 shots faced. She has a .667 save percentage and a 3.09 goals against average on the season. Her play last week earned her the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week honor - the first E8 weekly honor of her career. 
 
Scouting Union: The Garnet Chargers are 7-6 overall and 3-2 in the Liberty League. The team is coming off a 2-1 double overtime victory against William Smith College. Megan Dorsey leads Union with 19 points. She has eight goals and three assists, good for third place in the Liberty League. Maddie Greco sits behind in second place recording seven goals ranking fifth in the conference. Union has two goalkeepers who see time in the cage, Marion Stuntz and Sophie Brady. Stuntz is 3-2 coming off a double overtime win against William Smith, registering nine saves on 10 shots faced. She sports a 1.934 goals against average and a .704 save percentage. Brady is 2-4 and last played against Hamilton College on September 27. 
 
Looking at Keuka: The Wolves are 4-8 overall and 2-3 in Empire 8 play, sitting just below the Pioneers in the E8 standings. The Wolves bounced back from a three-game losing streak with a 10-0 win against Wells College. Tori Nelson, Erin Patterson, and Kirsten Billings lead Keuka in points. Nelson has 17 points on four goals and nine assists. Patterson has recorded seven goals on 16 shots on goal. Tied for fourth in the Empire 8 for game winning goals, Billings recorded 13 points with six goals and an assist. Goalkeeper Jordan Nichols sports a .780 with a 3.08 goals against average. The Pioneers are undefeated against Keuka in their four-game program history, outscoring them 25-2. 
 
Up Next: The team gears up for their last home match against Hartwick College on Wednesday at 4 p.m.. before concluding its regular season on the road at Elmira College on Saturday, October 28 at noon.