UTICA, NY- The Utica College women’s hockey team used a three-goal outburst in the first period to down visiting Manhattanville College 5-0 In the United Collegiate Hockey Conference opener Friday evening.
The Pioneers came out flying as they outshot Manhattanville 12-0 in the first 6:20 of play. Utica got on the board first at 5:54 when junior Georgiana Santullo (Woburn, MA/Boston Shamrocks/Woburn High School) followed up her own shot that went wide and buried a wrap around for her first of the year. Maggie Rylott (Cobourg, Ontario/West Northumberland) and Ava Suda (Cheektowaga, NY/Buffalo Bisons) picked up assists on the opener.
UC put in an insurance tally at 9:31 of the first when freshman Alexa Carlon (Lakewood, NY/Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) tapped one in from the side of the net for her first collegiate goal. Carlon’s power play tally was assisted by classmate Cortney Staniszewski (Buffalo, NY/Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) and sophomore Carolyn Whitney (Raleigh, NC/Milbrook School).
The Pioneers kept up the heat as Whitney scored her second goal in as many games at the 12:15 mark of the first period. Whitney took a tremendous cross-ice feed from freshman Nicole Flak (Middleton, MA/Boston Shamrocks) at the blue line and rifled a shot from the left faceoff dot into the top corner to make it 3-0 in favor of the home team. Sirena Fitzery (Hamburg, NY/Buffalo Bisons) was also credited with an assist on the play.
Freshman Carly Stefanini (Framingham, MA/Brooks School) kept her career-opening scoring streak intact as she tacked on a tally with 4:28 remaining in the second stanza for her team-leading fourth goal of the season. Fitzery and Flak once against picked up the assists.
Utica capped off the scoring with just 3:00 remaining in the game as Erica Sloan (Potsdam, NY/St. Lawrence Steel) buried a feed from Santullo for her second of the season. Senior Lexi Stanisewski (Lawrence, MA/Boston Shamrocks) picked up her first assist of the year on the play.
Freshman goalie Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) had another strong showing as she turned aside all 20 shots she faced to pick up her first career shutout. Her counterpart, Franny Gerardi made 41 saves in the loss.
The teams wrap up the season series Saturday as they faceoff at the Westchester Skating Academy. Game time is scheduled for 8:20 p.m.
(Utica College Women’s Hockey Photo)
