UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's hockey team began their 2025-26 season with a home exhibition against SUNY Potsdam. Freshman
Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA/) scored two goals in the 3rd period to secure the opening win for Utica. The Pioneers will play in one more exhibition before beginning their regular season on November 2nd.
Six different Pioneers recorded at least one point in the game. Houk tallied the two late goals, joined by
Madison Richman (Scituate, MA/), who scored the other, and assisted on both of Houk's goals.
Kaci Ryder (Shrewsbury, MA/),
Kelsey Elliott (Attleboro, MA/),
Tess Barrett (Tewksbury, MA/St. Mark's), and
Dylan DiGrazia (Scottsdale, AZ/) each also tallied one assist.
Isabella Boehm (Framingham, MA/),
Alex Venning (Courtice, ON/), and
Katherine Sheahan (Oak Lawn, IL/) each played one period in goal, ending with save totals of eight, six, and three, respectively.
Potsdam ended the game with four separate point scorers. Jayne Gamburg and Marissa Whiteside each scored one goal for the Bears. Elise Clifford and Ryanne Rathburn each assisted on Whiteside's goal. Anouk Belmans and Magalie Parent split time in net for Potsdam, playing 28:45 and 30:35 in net, respectively. Belmans made 21 saves in 24 shots, with Parent stopping all 15 shots she faced.
Neither team could break the 0-0 tie in the 1st period, with Potsdam's Gamburg opening the scoring at the 5:31 mark of the 2nd period. Richman responded for Utica at the 13:00 mark before Whiteside again gave the advantage to Potsdam with 1:30 left in the period. The Pioneers' offense took over in the final period, as Houk scored at the 7:30 and 15:53 marks to tie the game, and then give Utica a late lead.
The squad will play in another home exhibition next Friday, October 24th, against William Smith College. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm. The team's regular season will begin the following weekend when they travel to take on SUNY Cortland at 1:00 pm on November 2nd. Utica's first home action of the regular season will take place on Saturday, November 8th, when Oswego State comes to the Utica University Nexus Center for a 3:00 pm matchup.
