UTICA, NY - The Utica University field hockey team took the field at Gaetano Stadium for the first time in 2025 on Tuesday night in an early-week contest against a formidable Skidmore squad. Matched up against the Thoroughbreds, the Pioneers came out of the gates hot, but saw their momentum slowed as they eventually fell to the tough Liberty League side by a 4-0 final.

Even with the multi-goal gap, the two teams played a competitive and quick matchup, with end-to-end action being present throughout. The Pioneers hit the gas pedal early in the game, grabbing the first four shot attempts in the contest. In the first home match of their 25th anniversary season, the orange and blue would have many chances to notch a key score, but saw all of their seven shots on goal stopped short. Mia Benincasa (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) led the team in shots on goal with three, even launching an absolute rocket in the second half, which required the help of multiple Thoroughbred defenders to stop. Alanna Fragapane (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) also recorded two shots on goal, proving to be effective early in the matchup as she produced a couple of high-quality attempts in the first few minutes. 

On the backend, the defensive duo of Ryleigh Johnson (Camden, NY/Camden) and Keeley Savona (Kingston, NY/Kingston) each logged a defensive save, furthering their status as clutch defenders on the backline. 

Behind the backline pair, though, was the Pioneers' final bastion in Tuesday's tilt, with Ismiah ChinQuee (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) having a career night in net. ChinQuee was hyperactive inside the circle, seeking out attempts before they were even created as she racked up 16 saves. The junior keeper could have recorded even more saves in the game, but used her stellar foresight to snuff out many Skidmore attempts. ChinQuee also used her athleticism to shut down lanes, step to ball handlers, and step up in the circle to grab some highlight-worthy plays. To top it all off, she managed to stop a Skidmore penalty stroke in emphatic fashion. Her play helped the Pioneers hold the line, only trailing 1-0 at halftime in a very competitive matchup. 

The team will now move forward to this weekend and a matchup with SUNY Geneseo on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers will begin the Empire 8 campaign with a high-stakes outing against the #22 nationally ranked Knights, battling the 2024 Empire 8 Champion in this weekend's Mental Health Awareness Game. Come support your Pioneers and make sure to check out our gameday program for resources that promote mental health.