OSWEGO, NY - Utica University's women's ice hockey team began a two-game set with Oswego State in a road matchup at the Marano Campus Center Arena. The Lakers, a team receiving votes in both the USCHO and DIIIHockeyNews polls, gave a strong fight to their visitors, but the Pioneers struck late to take home the 3-2 thriller. Both squads will face off again tomorrow, this time at the Nexus Center, with puck drop set for 3:00 pm.
In a tightly fought contest, a late Pioneer strike gave them the win.
Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy) netted the decider, becoming the first Utica player to net their second of the season. The other goals for the orange and blue came from freshman
Autumn Frear (Marshall, VA/Gilmour Academy) and sophomore
Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South). Between the pipes,
Yael Fatiev (Kiryat Shmona, Israel/Ontario Hockey Academy) earned the start, turning away 25 of the 27 shots she faced. The freshman, who just earned the UCHC's and Empire 8's Goaltender of the Week honor, allowed her first collegiate goal after a combined 102:03 across all three games.
On the Lakers' Military Appreciation Night, the home squad was eager to jump ahead early. While Oswego began with seven of the first eight shots on goal, it was the Pioneers who struck first. Applying pressure inside the Lakers' defensive zone,
Dylan DiGrazia (Scottsdale, AZ/Homeschooled) caused a turnover, knocking the puck to Frear. With a close-range shot, the freshman forward beat Oswego's goalkeeper to score the go-ahead goal at 15:21. After the early pressure by the home squad, Utica responded by closing out the period with all seven shots on target within the final 7:47. Frear's was the fourth shot in that span, giving the orange and blue a 1-0 lead at the first intermission.
The second period began with even back-and-forth play, with both squads accounting for four shots on goal apiece within the first 12:15 of the third. Shortly after this span, however, Oswego evened the score with a goal by Julia Power, finishing an assist from Katie Demers. The Pioneers did not let the tie last for long, however, as under five minutes later they took back their lead. Just seconds after a Utica power play ended, Veronick Houk sniped a shot past Annie-Pier Gilbert, Oswego's netminder, to complete assists for
Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/Huron) and
Kyler Weatherred (Eagle, CO/Ralston Valley). Both teams responded with quick two-shot flurries in the remaining 2:52, but neither could break the 2-1 Pioneer lead through two periods.
In the final frame, both squads had early opportunities, but the hosts again eliminated the lead with 10:16 remaining. Logan McCreight scored an unassisted goal to up the ante in a thrilling matchup. The Pioneers missed one shot attempt 37 seconds after play resumed, which then began a dominant Lakers attack. Within the remaining 9:39, Oswego attempted each of the next 12 shots, putting seven of them on frame. With their one remaining shot in the contest, it was the Pioneers who struck the critical blow. With 29.4 seconds left, Best beat Gilbert through the five-hole to score on a breakaway. In the defensive zone, Weatherred intercepted a pass and threaded a long-range pass through the Laker defense to find Best. The remaining time ticked away with the 3-2 Pioneer lead still standing.
Both squads will now prepare to rematch tomorrow, November 7th. Oswego State is set to come to the Nexus Center, with the opening puck drop set for 3:00 pm. In addition, the game will recognize Morgan's Message, an organization dedicated to aiding mental health support within the student-athlete community.
