UTICA, NY - For the first time in program history, the No. 12 Utica University women's hockey team will play for the UCHC Championship following a 7-1 semifinal win over the Manhattanville College Valiants on Saturday afternoon. 
 
Carly Stefanini (Framingham, MA/Brooks School) led the team with two goals while Abby Lillis (West Seneca, NY/Buffalo Bisons), Erica Sloan (Potsdam, NY/St. Lawrence Steel), Cortney Staniszewski (Buffalo, NY/Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles), Georgiana Santullo (Woburn, MA/Boston Shamrocks/Woburn High School) and Carolyn Whitney (Raleigh, NC/Milbrook School) each had one. Sloan also tallied four points thanks to three assists to go with her goal. Maggie Rylott (Cobourg, Ontario/West Northumberland) also put together a three assist game. 
 
In goal, Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) made 32 saves with one lone breakaway goal allowed en route to her 16th victory of the season. 
 
Utica set off fireworks in the first period. Over 23 shots on goal through the first 20 minutes of play, the Pioneers sent four into the back of the net. Georgiana Santullo (Woburn, MA/Boston Shamrocks/Woburn High School) kicked things off with a goal at 6:05 for a 1-0 lead with feeds from Erica Sloan (Potsdam, NY/St. Lawrence Steel) and Carly Stefanini (Framingham, MA/Brooks School). 
 
A little later in the period, Stefanini made it 2-0 off of Callie McLaughlin (Centerport, NY/New Hampton School) and Sloan assists at the 12:41 mark. Abby Lillis (West Seneca, NY/Buffalo Bisons) tacked on the team's third goal of the frame less than a minute later thanks to a Maggie Rylott (Cobourg, Ontario/West Northumberland) assist at 13:29. On a power play with under 40 seconds left, Cortney Staniszewski (Buffalo, NY/Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) deflected in a Ryott shot to push the Utica lead to 4-0 entering the second. 
 
The Valiants were resilient throughout the second frame despite scoring just one goal in the period. Fjolla Berisha capitalized on a breakaway for an unassisted tally at 4:16. Manhattanville outshot Utica 20-12 overall in the second but Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) stood strong in net. Following the lone goal allowed in the second, the junior held the Valiants scoreless on 13 power play shots on goal, including multiple on a 5-on-3, to help keep the Pioneers ahead by three goals entering the third. 
 
Utica regained total control throughout the third period to put the game away. Just 26 seconds into the final period, Stefanini scored her second of the game to put the Pioneers back up by four. Later at the 16:13 mark, Carolyn Whitney (Raleigh, NC/Milbrook School) decided to put the dagger on the game with a shot that caught everyone off guard. On her own rebound, Whitney lofted up a shot from the corner that made its way through the five hole and to the back of the net for a 6-1 lead. With under two to play, Sloan put the finishing touches on the game with an unassisted breakaway goal to send the Pioneers to the title. 
 
No. 12 Utica (22-2-3, 17-1-2 UCHC) will travel to Rochester, NY next Saturday, March 4, to battle No. 13 Nazareth College for the UCHC title. Puck drop is TBD.