ELMIRA, NY- The Utica College women’s hockey team had its unbeaten streak snapped at six games as nationally ranked No. 2/3 Elmira College handed the Pioneers their first loss of the season with a 4-1 decision in ECAC West Conference play Saturday afternoon. Senior Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) scored the lone goal for the Pioneers.
Utica falls to 5-1-1 on the year and 3-1-1 in the ECAC West, while the Soaring Eagles improve to 4-1 on the year (3-0 ECAC West) with their fourth straight win. The teams will wrap up the series on Sunday in Utica. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Elmira got on the board first at 11:40 of the opening frame as Kristin Chivers converted on the power play for her second of the year. Louisa Lippiatt Durnell assisted on the play. Reed evened the score at 1-1 just 5:32 into the second as she netted her team-leading 10th goal of the season. Junior Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) and freshman Lauren Patterson (Burlington, Ontario/Oakville) assisted on the play. The trio now has at least one point in the last seven games.
The Soaring Eagles responded with two goals in the span of a 1:18 to regain the lead. First, Katie Granato took a feed from Meghan Fonfara for her second goal of the year. Shannon Strawinski also assisted on the play. Then, Strawinski followed that up with a goal of her own, assisted by Granato and Anna Trude. Elmira was able to add an empty netter with just 16 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
Junior Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) made 23 saves in the loss, while her counterpart, Kelcey Crawford, had 22 saves as she improved to 3-1 on the year. Utica was 0-for-3 on the power play, while Elmira converted on 1-of-5 power play opportunities.
