CANTON, NY - The Utica University field hockey team kicked off its 25th season on Saturday afternoon, getting the two-day North Country Invitational underway with a bout against Oneonta. The contest started off with the Red Dragons in the driver's seat, as a young Pioneer team looked to find its groove. Although the later the contest went, the more it seemed like the Pioneer players started to sink into their roles, finding some success in the final two periods despite a 4-1 loss.
The Pioneers were outshot by a 20-8 margin, losing out in the shots on goal battle by a 15-7 gap. Despite this, they managed to outshoot Oneonta five to one in the final period, putting on some late pressure, which even saw them notch a goal. The Pioneers kept their foot on the gas, but it was already too late to mount a comeback.Â
After some early hiccups, the Utica back line started showing its strength, holding Oneonta to a single goal in the second half thanks in large part to junior defender
Keeley Savona (Kingston, NY/Kingston), who secured two defensive saves in the game. Fellow defender
Kassidy Gloude (Camden, NY/Camden) also notched a defensive save in the contest, helping Savona clear the goal for sophomore cageminder
Ismiah ChinQuee (Freehold, NJ/Freehold).Â
ChinQuee was also solid in the first matchup of her sophomore campaign, facing 12 shots and making eight saves. She handled a chaotic first half well, aggressively stepping to break up a few Red Dragon attacks.Â
On offense, another sophomore was active for the orange and blue, as
Mia Benincasa (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) managed four shots on goal, but was unlucky with no goals to come from her four opportunities.Â
Samantha Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls) was the Pioneer who ended up scoring Utica's opening goal of 2025, grabbing a rebound off of a Benincasa rocket and slotting it away on the doorstep to secure two points.Â
The Pioneers will return tomorrow to square off with the hosting Saints. That game is slated for 2:00 PM back at Hall-Leet Stadium.
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