UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's hockey team continues its non-conference schedule with a home-and-home series against Oswego State this weekend, a team receiving votes in both major national polls. The Pioneers will visit the Lakers on Friday, November 6th, before returning to the Utica University Nexus Center for Saturday's matchup. Opening puck drop for both contests is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
Heron Home-and-Home: Utica opened the regular season by splitting a two-game series with William Smith College. In Friday's home opener, the Pioneers built a two-goal lead before the Herons scored four unanswered to claim a 4-2 victory. Freshman
Meghan Goldie (Rothesay, NB/North America Hockey Academy) tipped in a power-play goal in the first period, and transfer
Kyler Weatherred (Eagle, CO/Ralston Valley) scored early in the second.
Kiernan Ledoux (Shoreline, WA/Shorecrest),
Julia Chedel (Haverhill, MA/Kimball Union Academy),
Penny Saich (Norwell, MA/Norwell), and
Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/Huron) each contributed an assist to notch five of six Pioneer point-getters as newcomers.
Katie Sheahan (Oak Lawn, IL/North American Hockey Academy) made 22 saves before
Yael Fatiev (Kiryat Shmona, Israel/Ontario Hockey Academy) entered in relief and stopped both shots she faced.
The Pioneers responded with a 2-0 victory in Saturday's rematch in Geneva. Fatiev made 40 saves in her first collegiate start, while
Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy) scored the game-winner in the second period off a
Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) assist. Last season's scoring leader,
Samantha Dobrzynski (Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley), added an unassisted power-play goal in the third to start her year, and Utica killed all five of William Smith's opportunities with the advantage.
Fatiev's First: Fatiev's first weekend in the orange and blue earned her both UCHC and Empire 8 Goaltender of the Week honors. The freshman stopped all 42 shots she faced across the two contests, including 19 in the third period of Saturday's shutout. Her 40-save performance secured both her first collegiate victory and the Pioneers' first win of the season.
A Familiar Feat: Fatiev's opening weekend closely resembled Sheahan's introduction to collegiate hockey a season ago. Both goaltenders earned UCHC and Empire 8 Goaltender of the Week honors after their first week of play, with each recording a 40-save shutout for her first collegiate win and Utica's first victory of the season. Both performances also featured an increasing number of saves in each successive period.
Special Teams Success: The Pioneers opened the season with a power-play goal in each game against William Smith. Goldie's first collegiate goal came on Utica's lone opportunity Friday, while Dobrzynski converted one of three chances Saturday. On the other side of special teams, the orange and blue successfully killed all eight Heron power plays across the two contests.
At the Dot: Utica won 57 of 96 faceoffs during the opening series, good for a 59.4 percent success rate. Dobrzynski led the team with 24 wins in 36 draws (66.7%), while Best won 19 of 32 (59.4%). The Pioneers claimed 32 of 50 faceoffs (64.0%) in Saturday's victory, including 14 wins from Best and 13 from Dobrzynski.
Laker Look: Oswego State enters the weekend 2-0-0 after opening with a road sweep at Arcadia. The Lakers took Friday's contest 2-1 in overtime before posting a 3-0 shutout on Saturday. Natalie Loncz leads the team with two goals and ten shots, while Georgia Cunliffe and Helen Vandamme each recorded a goal and an assist.
Oswego outshot Arcadia 62-39 across the series and allowed just one goal. Mia Devivo made 20 saves in the overtime victory, and Annie-Pier Gilbert stopped all 18 shots she faced in Saturday's shutout. The Lakers went 0-for-5 on the power play and killed all six opposing opportunities.
Up Next: Utica opens early-season UCHC play with a two-game road series at Hilbert College. The Pioneers and Hawks meet Friday, November 13th at 7:00 pm and Saturday, November 14th at 2:00 pm at Nike Base Ice Rink in Hamburg. The orange and blue return to the Nexus Center on Friday, November 20th, in a 4:00 pm scheduled matchup with #12-ranked Elmira College.
