UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's hockey team will continue their stretch of ranked opponents with matchups against two of the top-15-ranked teams. Tomorrow, December 2nd, the Pioneers will return to action in a road matchup with local rival and #14-ranked, Hamilton College. This upcoming Friday, the 5th, Utica will return to home ice in a matchup with #4-ranked Middlebury College.

Follow Along: The video stream for the game at Hamilton can be found HERE, with live stats available HERE. Video of all Utica home games can be found HERE, with live stats available HERE.

The Elmira Effort: Prior to the short end-of-November break, the Pioneers concluded their early-season UCHC slate of games with back-to-back losses against then-#14-ranked Elmira College. The Pioneers were limited to just one goal in each of the two matchups, with the goals split between Elliana Lasher (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) and Nora Pollestad (Stavanger, Norway/). Samantha Dobrzynski (Garnet Valley, PA/) was the only other Utica point scorer, notching an assist on Pollestad's power play goal in game one at Elmira. Katherine Sheahan (Oak Lawn, IL) continued to anchor the crease for the orange and blue, earning a .915 save percentage and 2.51 GAA over the two-game span. Her season-long metrics now sit at .946 and 1.59 goals allowed.

Blue Line Breakthroughs: Utica's blue line continues to shape the identity of its offense, with defenders Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/) and Pollestad emerging as two of the most productive scoring threats in the UCHC. Jerome enters the week tied for 8th in the conference with three goals and sits 9th in shots per game (4.14), having piled up 29 total attempts, the 7th-highest total in the UCHC. Her ability to activate from the back end has translated directly into results, including three game-winning goals, a mark that ranks second in the UCHC and tied for 2nd nationally. She scored the lone goal in the 1-0 shutout of Oswego State and followed with the game-winner in each matchup vs Hilbert, reinforcing her status as one of Division III's most dangerous clutch scorers from the blue line.

Another key member of the defensive unit, Pollestad, a new junior-year transfer, has been equally impactful in both directions. She carries a +6 rating, which is tied for the team lead and among the UCHC's top 20. She has also added steady offensive pressure, averaging 2.57 shots per game (24th in UCHC) and 0.29 goals per game, which ties her for a top-20 ranking in the conference. Pollestad is also one of only three players in the UCHC with a shorthanded goal, scoring a shorty against Hilbert as part of a dominant performance that included two points, seven shots, and a +4 night. Together, Jerome and Pollestad have become the backbone of Utica's transition game, providing the kind of offensive punch from the blue line that can tilt close matchups.

Continental Checkpoint: The Hamilton College Continentals have started their season with a 3-1-1 record, including a 2-1-1 mark in the NESCAC. With the early-season success, the Continentals have earned their way into the national rankings, currently sitting at #14. The team's biggest margin of victory came in their most recent game, a 6-2 home win against SUNY Morrisville on November 25th. Perhaps the bigger highlight of the season came in the team's two-game road series with Middlebury College. In game one with the then-#4-ranked Panthers, the team fell 1-2 before pushing to a shootout in game two. In the shootout, Hamilton outscored Middlebury 2-1.

Sophomore forward Sarah Myzuik holds a firm lead in the team scoring statistics, with a total of eight points, split evenly between four goals and four assists. She is one of just three multi-goal scorers, and the only one with more than two goals, and is also the only Continental that has reached four assists. Behind Myzuik is a three-way tie between three players, all of them named Grace. Grace Puskar holds a two-goal, two-assist statline, with both Grace Long and Grace Crowley holding a statline of one goal and three assists. Hamilton has split their time in goal between three players, with Teagan Brown leading the way, playing 185 of the 305 total minutes available. In that time, Brown has posted a 1-1-1 record, a .938 save percentage, and a 1.61 goals-against average.

Panther Preview: Middlebury has been consistently ranked at the top so far this season, placing 4th in the USCHO preseason poll and never dropping below that ranking. In the team's first seven games, they have earned a 5-1-1 record, including a 2-1-1 mark in the NESCAC. The squad's biggest win came in a 6-0 contest over Vermont State University-Castleton on November 18th. Middlebury is coming off another big victory ahead of their matchup with the Pioneers, as they most recently defeated then-#6-ranked Plattsburgh State 6-1 in the consolation game of the Panther/Cardinal Classic.

The Panthers' strong offense has been led by several key players. Avery McInerny and Trinity Walsh are tied with a team-leading 10 points. McInerny has reached the total via four goals and six assists, with Walsh assisting on seven goals and netting three herself. Caroline Thomas leads the team with five goals, while also assisting on another four for nine total points. Olivia McManus is the final Panther with more than five points, reaching seven total, all by assists. Sophia Will has held clear control over Middlebury's top goalie spot, playing in all but one game. She has reached a 4-1-1 record on the back of a .917 save percentage and 1.65 goals-allowed average. 

Up Next: The team will take roughly a month off after the Middlebury matchup as the university reaches fall semester final exams and winter break. The Pioneers return to action in the Utica University Kick Off Tournament on January 3rd and 4th. Utica will take on Wilkes University on the 3rd, with puck drop scheduled for 1:00 pm. The following day, the orange and blue will challenge either SUNY Cortland or Colby College based on the results of the day one games.