WESLEY CHAPEL, FL - The No. 8 Utica University Women's Hockey Team broke through a deadlock late in the third period vs No. 13 Norwich, grabbing a 3-1 victory in their first win over the Cadets since 2008. Kelsey Elliott (Attleboro, MA/East Coast Wizards) grabbed the game winner and felled Norwich in the first Semifinal from Wesley Chapel, Florida, sending the Pioneers to the Sunshine Turkey Classic Championship Game which will take place at 4:00 PM tomorrow against either No. 5 Adrian or No. 12 Trinity. 
 
Seven players tallied at least one point for the Pioneers: Hailey Modlin (Phoenix, AZ/Boston Shamrocks) (1g, 0a), Kelsey Elliott (Attleboro, MA/East Coast Wizards) (1g, 0a), Ally Nolan (Westford, MA/Chatham University (NCAA DIII)) (1g, 0a), Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/Belle Tire)(0g, 1a), Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy (Belle Tire)) (0g, 1a), Jordan Hancock (Albuquerque, NM/Belle Tire) (0g, 1a), and Jordan Kowalski (Chicopee, MA/Plattsburgh State (NCAA DIII)) (0g, 1a).
 
Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) got the start and was locked in all night, keeping the game level at one apiece for over 40 minutes of gametime, recording 27 saves along the way. Hawthorne made nine in the first, eight in the second and 11 in the third period.
 
Breanna Ricker scored first for the Cadets only 40 seconds into the first period, giving the team an early 1-0 lead. With 8:45 on the clock, Utica put pressure on the Norwich defense, which led to Best getting a pass off to Nolan, making it a 1-1 game. Both teams combined for 13 shots on goal, eight for Norwich and five for Utica.
 
With 12:19 left in the second, the Cadets took advantage of a fast break, but Hawthorne was all over it, keeping the game at one. It was neck and neck through 10 minutes of play in the period, as both teams had four shots on goal. The Pioneers and Cadets would go scoreless as both teams entered the third tied at one.
 
With nearly 5 minutes to play in the third period, Elliott notched the go-ahead goal for the Pioneers, receiving a pinpoint pass from Jerome and then beating the Norwich goaltender right up the middle to give the team a 2-1 advantage over the Cadets. With 2:32 left, Modlin scored the team's third and final goal on an empty net, giving the team a gritty 3-1 win.
 
UTICA (9-1-0, 3-1-0 UCHC) plays Saturday, November 30, at 4 p.m. against either No. 5 Adrian College or No. 12 Trinity College in the Championship Game.