HOUGHTON, NY - The Utica University women's soccer team dropped their first conference matchup against Houghton University 1-0 on Sunday afternoon. The match was resumed today (9/22) due to weather conditions yesterday (9/21).
 
Rylee Lamphere (Little Falls, NY/Dolgeville) led the Pioneers with two shots, both on goal. Natalia Bell (Cortland, NY/Groton) tallied three shots as she's collected five in two games. Amber Piersma (Cassville, NY/Mount Markham) registered two shots; she now ranks in the top two in league play through eight matches (29). Cora Kraft (Poughquag, NY/Arlington), Samantha Kogut (North Adams, MA/Drury), Bella Noble (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) and Lindsay Fleshman (Owings, MD/Northern) had one shot each.
 
Emily Duro (Wappinger Falls, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) made her first career start in goal, making three saves on four shots faced.
 
The Pioneers opened the first half with three consecutive shots from Kogut, Lamphere and Noble. At the 20-minute mark, Karryne Mims opened the scoring, giving Houghton a 1-0 advantage. Utica finished the first half with three shots from Bell and Piersma. Piersma has at least one shot in every match this season. Houghton would take a 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
Both teams combined for eight shots through 33 minutes of action in the second half, seven from Houghton and two from Utica. Houghton would go on to eventually win 1-0.
 
Utica (2-5, 0-1 Empire 8) heads to Rochester, NY for a matchup against St. John Fisher University on Wednesday, September 25 at 7 p.m.