UTICA, NY - The No. 9 Utica University's women's hockey team fell 3-2 in a tough battle with the Nazareth Golden Flyers on Saturday night.
Erica Sloan (Potsdam, NY/St. Lawrence Steel) led the squad with a pair of points with one goal and one assist in the contest. Tess Barrett (Tewksbury, MA/St. Mark's), Maggie Rylott (Cobourg, Ontario/West Northumberland), Autumn Mish (Long Lake, NY/University of New Hampshire (NCAA DI)), and Carolyn Whitney (Raleigh, NC/Millbrook School) each tallied one point with Whitney scoring the other Utica goal.
Maddie Esposito (Ashburn, VA/Boston Shamrocks) played well in net racking up 21 saves and keeping Utica in the game to the very end. Sloan and Kaci Ryder (Shrewsbury, MA/WC Swans) each led the team with three shots with Hailey Modlin (Phoenix, AZ/Boston Shamrocks), Erica Sheaffer (New Hartford, NY/Wilkes University), and Carly Stefanini (Framingham, MA/Brooks School) each recording two.
It was a quick yet entertaining first period of action between the UCHC rivals. Erica Sloan (Potsdam, NY/St. Lawrence Steel) got the party started with a beautiful goal at the 8:40 mark off a feed from Tess Barrett (Tewksbury, MA/St. Mark's) and Maggie Rylott (Cobourg, Ontario/West Northumberland). The Golden Flyers knotted the contest up at the 15:33 mark and outshot the Pioneers 10-6 in the frame, yet Maddie Esposito (Ashburn, VA/Boston Shamrocks) was terrific with nine saves. Neither team recorded a penalty in a clean period with the score remaining 1-1 after the first frame.
The clean puck trend continued with another period featuring no penalties for either side. A large portion of the period featured the teams battling in the neutral zone with Nazareth outshooting Utica 8-7. Utica created a few opportunities but the Nazareth defense stood strong. The Golden Flyers took the lead at the 18:22 mark off a deflection and held on to the slim lead entering the final period of play.
Utica's offense started to come alive but the Golden Flyers defense remained strong, denying three attempts within the first five minutes of the frame via blocks. Nazareth converted on the power play at the 7:28 mark off another deflected goal to secure a 3-1 lead. But the Pioneers kept the pressure on with Carolyn Whitney (Raleigh, NC/Millbrook School) sniping a goal at 19:38 with Autumn Mish (Long Lake, NY/University of New Hampshire (NCAA DI)) and Erica Sloan (Potsdam, NY/St. Lawrence Steel) earning an assist. Utica rallied yet the Golden Flyers held on for a 3-2 UCHC victory.
No. 9 Utica (14-2-2) will remain home and host Nazareth University on Saturday, January 27 at 2 p.m.
