Utica, NY (2/10/15)- The Utica College women’s hockey team cruised to a 5-0 non-conference victory over visiting SUNY Canton Tuesday night in the Pioneers’ third annual Gold Ribbon Game for childhood cancer awareness. Senior Gabrielle Abbott (Scottsdale, AZ/St. Marks) posted the shutout in her first career start.
Utica improves to 9-8-4 on the year, and the Pioneers are now 3-0 all-time in Gold Ribbon Games. UC returns to action this weekend as it travels to nationally ranked No. 2 Plattsburgh State. The Pioneers faceoff against the Cardinals at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Utica took control early, scoring three goals in the first period to set the tone. Senior Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) opened the scoring at 6:15 as she netted her seventh goal of the year, assisted by classmate Samantha Pucci (Pearl River, NY/Connecticut Polar Bears). Just over two minutes later, freshman Taylor Osowski (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects) put in a feed from Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) to extend the Pioneer lead. Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) also assisted Osowski’s fourth of the year. With 4:30 left in the first period, Schnepp took a feed from Reed, deked a defender, and roofed a shot into the top corner of the net for a highlight reel goal. The tally was her fifth of the year.
UC scored one goal in each of the next two periods to seal the win. Reed found the back of the net for her team-leading 12th of the season, while freshman Carlie Smith (Grimsby, Ontario/St. Catharine’s Chaos) capped off the scoring with her third goal of the year. Emily Coope (Phoenix, AZ/Colorado Tigers) and Veronique Lortie (Chambly, Quebec/Berkshire School) assisted on the power-play tally.
Abbot made 12 saves in her first collegiate start, while Peyton Stafne made 23 saves in net for the Roos.
During the game, the Pioneers were able to raise $3,000 for the Shawn Grady Fund to help local children fighting cancer. In three years, UC has managed to raise nearly $9,000 towards the cause.
