UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's hockey team opened its 2026-27 regular season with a home matchup against the William Smith College Herons. The Pioneers opened with the first two goals of the game, but the visitors closed out with four unanswered goals to complete the 4-2 final. It was a big evening for the orange and blue's debutants, with five of the team's six points coming from newcomers. Utica will look to bounce back in a road rematch with William Smith tomorrow night, before another home-and-home set with Oswego State next weekend.
In the opening game of the season, it was a crew of newcomers that led the Pioneer attack. Freshman
Meghan Goldie (Rothesay, NB/North America Hockey Academy) and incoming transfer
Kyler Weatherred (Eagle, CO/Ralston Valley) netted the two goals, with assists from fellow transfers
Julia Chedel (Haverhill, MA/Kimball Union Academy) and
Penny Saich (Norwell, MA/Norwell), freshman
Kiernan Ledoux (Shoreline, WA/Shorecrest), and returning junior
Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/Huron). Sophomore
Katie Sheahan (Oak Lawn, IL/North American Hockey Academy) saved 22 of 25 in 50:06 of play, before freshman
Yael Fatiev (Kiryat Shmona, Israel/Ontario Hockey Academy) closed out the game, saving both shots on target across 9:34. After taking the program's second-most faceoffs as a freshman last season,
Samantha Dobrzynski (Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley) had a strong night at the dot, winning 11 of 17 (64.7%). Classmate
Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) contributed on the defensive end with four blocked shots, notching the 17th occurrence of such since tracking began in the 2016-17 season.
On an energetic night where players' parents and professors were honored, the orange and blue jumped out with early energy, attempting eight of the first 10 shots of the game. After William Smith responded with a strong stretch of their own, the Pioneers struck first after 14:14. On the power play, Ledoux completed a pass to Chedel, who released a shot from the blue line. Down low near the crease, Goldie battled and got her stick on the shot, making a last-second deflection past the Herons' goalkeeper. Utica put one more shot on target in the remaining time, but William Smith was eager to even the score, attempting eight shots, four of which were blocked to end the period 1-0.
The orange and blue again had early pressure in the second period, netting their second goal just a minute and a half after play resumed. Saich and Jerome helped pass up a defensive breakout, finding Weatherred, who fired a medium-range shot past Mia Iwicki, the Heron netminder. The Pioneers had a couple more flurries of action, but the Herons struck next, cutting the lead to one at the 13:40 mark of the second period. Talia Mertens scored off a breakout of her own, completing assists by Bella Hacker and Lilly Relyea. 1:45 later, the visitors struck again, this time with Sara Comiskey netting the equalizer on a Natalie May assist. William Smith kept pressure on through the remaining time, but the teams entered the final frame tied 2-2.
Both squads battled in the opening of the final third, but after 10:06, just seconds after a successful Pioneer penalty kill, William Smith took their first lead of the game. Finley Crosby netted the eventual game-winner, with passes from Anna Tardiff and Caeley McCormick. The Pioneers attempted to fight their way back in the remaining time, outshooting their opponents, but could not find their way past Iwicki. After a William Smith defensive-zone faceoff with an empty Utica net and an extra-long-range Heron shot, Ainsley Lonczak knocked in the insurance goal. Earning assists on the empty-netter were Tara Valas and Crosby.
Utica will look to even the series tomorrow night in a road rematch with William Smith. Opening puck drop is set for 4:00 pm at The Cooler in Geneva, NY. The Pioneers next return to the Nexus Center on Saturday, November 7th, in game two of a home-and-home set with Oswego State. That contest is slated for a 3:00 pm start.
