UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's hockey team defeated St. John Fisher in their first-ever matchup between the programs by a score of 5-1. The Pioneers accomplished this victory with five different goal scorers, all of whom are freshmen. Tomorrow, the teams will rematch on St. John Fisher's home ice at 3:00 pm.
10 separate Pioneers ended the game with at least one point, with half of them tallying a second.
Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA) and
Samantha Dobrzynski (Garnet Valley, PA/) were the only players with one goal and one assist, as
Kaci Ryder (Shrewsbury, MA/),
Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy High School), and
Kelsey Elliott (Attleboro, MA/) each recorded two assists.
Camryn Behonick (Vestal, NY/),
Brooklyn Higgins (Gilbert, AZ/), and
Dylan DiGrazia (Scottsdale, AZ/) scored the remaining goals, with Higgins' standing as the game-winner.
Madison Wagner (Saukville, WI/Divine Savior Holy Angels) and
Chloe Needham-Potts (London, United Kingdom/) each finished with one assist on the night. In addition to her scoring prowess, Dobrzynski had an elite night on the faceoff dot, winning 17 of 21 draws.
Alex Venning (Courtice, ON/) got the start in net and saved 25 of 26 Cardinal shots for a .961 save percentage.
Cameran Evans (Emsworth, PA/Pittsburgh Penguins Elite) scored the lone goal of the contest for St. John Fisher, and she was assisted on the play by Eibhleann Knox and Ellie Prantner. Brynn Bacak got the start in net, making 26 saves on 31 shots in 40:42 of ice time, and Elizabeth Poole entered in relief and made seven saves on seven chances in the remaining 19:18 of game time.
The Pioneers struck early in the contest, as just three minutes into the first period, Behonick found the back of the net after a Ryder dump-in and a Dobrzynski shovel towards the crease. Behonick batted around at the puck, slipping it past the Cardinal goaltender to put Utica up early in the contest. With five minutes remaining, Higgins scored a dazzling goal off nice feeds from Best and Houk, for the second goal of her season and the team's second of the period.
Utica would not take long to find the back of the net again, as just over one minute into the second period, Elliott sped through the neutral zone and found DiGrazia joining her on a 2-on-1 rush. Elliott made the cross-crease pass and assisted on her teammate's second goal of the season to put Utica up 3-0. Needham-Potts was also credited with an assist on the play.
Halfway through the period, Best found Houk on the left side of the net, where she put away the third goal of her season. Wagner, a sophomore, also added an assist on the score.
The Pioneers went into the locker room after the second period with a 4-0 lead, but that would turn into a 5-0 lead just 42 seconds into the third period. Dobrynski scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season off rebounds from Elliott and Ryder.
The Pioneers would maintain their lead for the rest of the contest, despite allowing a shorthanded breakaway goal to the Cardinals' Evans 12:29 into the third period. Knox and Pranter were credited with assists on the goal.
The Pioneers will next travel to Rochester tomorrow, February 7th, to rematch St. John Fisher at the Rochester Ice Arena at 3:00 PM. After that, Utica returns to action next Friday, February 13th, at 4:00 pm, and Saturday, February 14th, at 1:00 pm, as they welcome UCHC-side Manhattanville for two games at the Utica University Nexus Center.
