UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's hockey team completed a homestand to start the new year by hosting the Williams College Ephs. The visitors struck three times in a less than two-minute span to jump to an early lead, withstanding Pioneer pressure and tacking on one final score with two minutes left to win 4-0. Utica falls to 3-9-0 on the season and has been held winless in its last seven games.

The Pioneers were unable to find the back of the net in the contest, putting 29 shots on goal, just four fewer than their opponent. Kaci Ryder (Shrewsbury, MA/) and Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/) led the team with five shots each, followed closely by Nora Pollestad (Stavanger, Norway/) with four. In the defensive zone, Jerome and Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA) each blocked four shots, becoming just the 11th and 12th Pioneers to do so in a game since tracking began in the 2016-17 season. Katherine Sheahan (Oak Lawn, IL) started in net, playing just 8:56 and saving three of six shots faced. Alex Venning (Courtice, ON/) entered in near-perfect relief, saving each of the first 26 shots she faced, but allowing a goal on the final Williams shot on goal of the game.

Of the eight Ephs players to record a point, only two of them reached a second. Becca White opened the scoring, followed shortly after by Laney Mead and Charlotte Fetherston. Leah Rubinshteyn, who assisted on Mead's goal, netted the final goal of the game. Claire Murphy pocketed assists on both Mead's and Rubinshteyn's goals. Williams goalie Erin Pye played strongly between the pipes, saving all 29 shots she faced.

The early first period began with the teams playing competitively, with Utica holding Williams to just two shots on goal in the first five and a half minutes, both on an Eph power play, before White struck first for the visitors after 7:01 of play. 1:33 later, Mead tacked on a second goal to extend the Williams lead. The Ephs kept hungry, creating a turnover after the game-resuming puck drop that was won by Utica to score a third goal just 22 seconds after their previous goal. Utica subbed in Venning ahead of the next faceoff, with the score holding until the late third period. With just 2:05 remaining in the game, Rubinshteyn tacked another on the scoreboard on the Ephs' third and final power play of the game.

Utica will now look ahead to a two-game neutral set with SUNY Canton this weekend. The teams will both travel to Lake Placid, NY to play at the Herb Brooks Arena. On Saturday, January 10th, puck drop is set for 7:30 pm. The following day, the teams will rematch in a contest scheduled for 3:00 pm. The Pioneers return to the Nexus Center on Wednesday, January 14th, when the Worcester State University Lancers come to town for a 4:00 pm matchup.