PITTSBURGH, PA- The Utica College women’s hockey team scored three unanswered goals to down host Chatham University 5-2 in its UCHC Conference opener Friday evening. Sophomore Olivia Hirschy (Fort Wayne, IN/Culver Academies) led the Pioneers with two goals and one assist.
Utica improves to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while Chatham drops to 1-2 (0-1 UCHC). The teams will wrap up the season series on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
The Cougars got on the board first when Allison Stathakis put in a dish from Madison Black. Kasandra Peterson also assisted on Stathakis’ first of the year.
The Pioneers responded at 9:13 as senior Meghan Power (Windsor, Ontario/Southwest Wildcats) scored her first of the year, assisted by Hirschy. Utica took the lead just over three minutes later as Hirschy scored her first of the day, assisted by Power and junior Danielle Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Balmoral Hall).
The score remained the same until 14:32 of the second period as Chatham was able to capitalize on a power play to even the score. Black put in a goal of her own, while Marissa Janiga and Kirajean Frost had the assists. It was short-lived, however, as the Pioneers regained the lead just 40 seconds later as sophomore Rebecca Brown (Steamboat Springs, CO/Norwich University) found the back of the net for her team-leading third goal of the year.
Freshman Katrina Cornick (Mason City, IA/Rocky Mountain Roughriders ) added an insurance tally with just 17 seconds remaining in the period as she put in a feed from Brown for her first collegiate goal.
The Pioneers capped off the scoring just over halfway through the third period as Hirschy netted her second of the day and third in as many games. Brown assisted on the play.
Senior Amanda Lupo (Auburn, NY/Skaneateles) made 25 saves for her first win of the season, while her counterpart, Sydney Isbell made 41 saves in the loss.
