PITTSBURGH, PA- The Utica College women’s hockey team picked up the sweep in its first weekend of UCHC Conference play as it downed host Chatham University 5-4 Saturday afternoon.
Utica opened the scoring at 13:59 of the first period as sophomore Olivia Hirschy (Fort Wayne, IN/Culver Academies) put in her third of the weekend to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead. Senior Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Belle Tire) assisted on Hirschy’s fourth of the year.
The Cougars evened the score just 1:06 into the second stanza as Kristina Black netted her third of the year. Utica regained the lead at the 7:00 mark thanks to a goal by freshman Katrina Cornick (Mason City, IA/Rocky Mountain Roughriders ), her second in as many games, to make it 2-1 in favor of the Pioneers. Rebecca Brown (Steamboat Springs, CO/Norwich University) tallied the lone assist on the power play tally.
Chatham was once again able to tie it up with 1:39 remaining in the period as Sydney Collins put in a feed from Allison Stathakis for her first of the year. Kasandra Peterson also registered an assist on Collins’ goal.
Utica took control with a pair of goals just 5:44 into the third period. First, Brown found the back of the net for her fourth of the year, assisted by Veronique Lortie (Chambly, Quebec/Berkshire School) and Meghan Power (Windsor, Ontario/Southwest Wildcats). Then, senior Carlie Smith (Grimsby, Ontario/St. Catharine’s Chaos) fed Cornick for her second of the day.
Chatham came within one at 9:37 when Marissa Janiga netted her first of the year, however Lortie put the game away with a shot from the point for her first of the season.
The Cougars threatened in the final minute, but it was too little, too late as the Pioneers held on for the win. Freshman Gabrielle Igo (Phoenix, AZ/Northern Cyclones) made 18 saves as she improved to 3-0 on the year, while Chatham’s Devon Strachan had 40 saves in the loss.
The Pioneers (4-2, 2-0 UCHC) return home next weekend as they host Neumann University. Game time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
