PITTSBURGH, PA- Senior Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) became just the fourth player in program history to record 100 career points as the Utica College women’s hockey team cruised to a 6-1 victory over Chatham University in ECAC West Conference action Saturday afternoon.
Six different players scored on the day as the Pioneers picked up their third straight conference sweep. Utica (15-5-1, 11-2-1 ECAC West) will look to carry its momentum into next weekend as it hosts ECAC West front runner and nationally ranked No. 1 Plattsburgh State. The teams will face off Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Special teams were the difference in the game as Utica was an impressive 4-for-7 on the power play, while the Pioneers held the Cougars scoreless on four opportunities with the man advantage.
UC opened the scoring at 11:48 of the first period as junior Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) netted her 11th of the year, off assists from freshmen Lauren Patterson (Burlington, Ontario/Oakville) and Danielle Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Balmoral Hall). The Cougars responded just 1:30 later as McKenzie Haskins scored her third of the year, assisted by Jenny Jones, to even the score at one.
Utica regained the lead at 6:32 of the second as freshman Kayla Dion (Colchester, VT/Boston Shamrocks ) ripped in a shot from the point that went off the crossbar and in for her first collegiate goal. Reed and Schnepp assisted on the power play tally. Reed then added an insurance tally with just under five minutes remaining in the second stanza as she redirected a shot from Janessa Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Canadian International Hockey Academy) for her team-leading 18th goal of the season, and the 50th of her career.
The Pioneers tacked on three more tallies in the third period to seal the victory. First, Patterson found the back of the net for her tenth of the season, assisted by Veronique Lortie (Chambly, Quebec/Berkshire School) and Meghan Power (Windsor, Ontario/Southwest Wildcats). Then, at 8:40, Power scored a goal of her own, assisted by sophomore Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Grass Lake). Sophomore Jennifer Arts (Lakeside, Ontario/London Devilettes) capped off the scoring with just .4 seconds remaining on the clock for her first of the year. Janessa Haasbeek (Grand Forks, ND/Canadian International Hockey Academy) was credited with an assist on the play.
Junior Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) had 29 saves as she improved to 12-4-1 on the year. Her counterpart, Sydney Isbell, totaled an impressive 60 saves in the loss.
Patterson now leads the nation in rookie scoring with 1.38 points per game. Her 29 points this season rank third in freshman scoring in UC history. Goin, meanwhile moves into second nationally with a 1.06 goals against average and she remains in third in save percentage (.958).
