UTICA, NY - The No. 8 ranked Utica Women's Hockey Team returned to the Nexus Center on Friday night for the first time since their huge kickoff tournament victory over then #5 Elmira. Looking to keep their spotless start going, the Pioneers rode the energy gained during their pre-game Senior Day ceremony to thump the visiting Hilbert Hawks by a mind-boggling final tally of 15-0.
 
Utica outshot the Hawks by an outrageous amount, only allowing three shots from the visitors while earning 66 shots of their own in the blowout affair.
 
The Pioneers also managed to win 41 of their 57 faceoff opportunities, good for a 72% faceoff win rate.
 
Utica saw many different players get points tonight, with 12 different players nabbing goals. Three players; Kelsey Elliot, Faithe Harris (West Kelowna, BC/Manhattanville College (NCAA DIII)), and reigning UCHC Rookie of the Week Elliana Lasher (Clifton Park, NY/Rome Hockey) each ended with two scores on the night.
 
Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy (Belle Tire)) and Tess Barrett (Tewksbury, MA/St. Mark's) each ended with a similar 4-point performance, as both players tallied three assists in addition to a goal.
 
The No. 8 ranked team in all of DIII also had three different players record at least 10 faceoff wins, with Hailey Modlin (Phoenix, AZ/Boston Shamrocks), Riley Calhoun (New Hartford, NY/Plattsburgh State University (NCAA DIII)), and the previously mentioned Best earning faceoff victories in 10, 13, and 11 faceoff attempts respectively.
 
Ally Nolan (Westford, MA/Chatham University (NCAA DIII)) also secured her 100th career point on the Pioneers' 15th goal of the night, assisting to reach the elusive mark.
 
The Pioneers moved to 5-0 on the season and remained unbeaten in conference play at 3-0. They'll return to the Nexus Center tomorrow to faceoff against the Hawks in the second game of the two-game series.