Utica opens up regular season play on the road Saturday when it travels to William Smith College to take on the upstart Herons in an ECAC West Conference match up at 4 p.m. The Pioneers return to the Aud for their regular season home opener on Sunday afternoon to take on the Herons in game two of the weekend set at 3 p.m.
UC, which won its exhibition last weekend against the Ancaster Avalanche 7-0, wrapped up its 2013-14 campaign with its most successful season in six years as it finished 17-9-1 overall. The Pioneers made their 12th ECAC West tournament appearance in program history, before being knocked out in the semifinals by eventual conference and National Champion, Plattsburgh State. Utica finished the year last season in the receiving votes category in the final D3hockey.com National Rankings. The Pioneers remained just outside the top-ten as they received two votes, two behind St. Norbert and eight behind tenth-ranked Oswego State.
Utica welcomes back 16 players from last year’s squad including captains Nikki Kieffer (Rome, NY/Lysander Lightning), Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks), and Kelsey Dowdall(Smiths Falls, ONT/Nepean). ECAC All-Rookie selection Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) is back after her stellar freshman campaign that saw her finish second on the team in scoring with 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists). Seniors Marissa McNamara (Camillus, NY/Lysander Lightning), Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School), Samantha Pucci (Pearl River, NY/Connecticut Polar Bears) and Madison Christoff(Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) will also provide veteran leadership for the team.
