UTICA, NY - The No. 11 Utica University women's hockey team downed the Manhattanville Valiants 2-0 on Saturday afternoon in the ADK Bank Center. 
 
Autumn Mish (Long Lake, NY/University of New Hampshire (NCAA DI)) led Utica with one goal on four shots. She now has a four-game point streak with one goal and three assists. Kaci Ryder (Shrewsbury, MA/Shrewsburg (Lady Flames)) had one goal and three shots. Riley Calhoun (New Hartford, NY/Plattsburgh State University (NCAA DIII)) and Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy HS / Belle Tire) collected the Pioneer assists. Best and Jordan Kowalski (Chicopee, MA/Westfield) combined for 18 faceoff wins and five losses. Five players had at least four shots on goal. 
 
Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) picked up her 11th win and collected eight saves. 
 
Both teams got off to a slow start in the first period, combining for two shots in the first eight minutes of action. With 10:19 on the clock, Molly Pedone (Trinity, FL/Shattuck-St. Mary's) had a great chance but was denied by Elsa Haakonsen. Pedone returned to the lineup after not playing since November 22 against Nazareth. The Pioneers and Valiants completed the period 1-0.
 
The Pioneers turned it up a notch in the second period, establishing the offensive zone and getting off four shots in the first three minutes. Utica's defense stayed calm and composed, allowing only two shots on goal the entire period. With 11:38 remaining in the period, Ryder scored her sixth goal of the season off an assist from Calhoun. That goal gave the Pioneers a 1-0 advantage heading into the third frame. 
 
Utica scored one more goal in the third period from Mish, extending the Pioneer lead to 2-0. No more goals were scored in the third as the Pioneers would hang out and take the two-game set.
 
Utica (14-5-0, 5-1-0 UCHC) returns to the Utica University Nexus Center on Friday, February 7  at 6:30 p.m. to face Nazareth University.