Score: Utica College 4 – Elmira College 1
Records: Utica (2-5, 1-0 Empire 8), Elmira (1-6, 0-2 Empire 8)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, NY
 
Pine Valley, NY -- The Elmira College field hockey team concluded its season-long three-game home stand on Saturday afternoon, falling to Empire 8 rival Utica College by a 4-1 final at the Murray Athletic Center. With the loss, Elmira falls to 0-2 to begin Empire 8 Conference play.
 
Although the Pioneers offense has struggled to get things going entering the matchup, the visitors came out firing on all cylinders on this day. Utica jumped out to an early lead just 5:56 into the game on Tiffany Evans first goal of the season. Collen Dowling started the play for the visitors, whipping a great pass to Evans who found space on the left-hand side of the arc. Julie Hockenberger '18 was able to get a piece of the shot, but the ball was able to squeeze through traffic and into the bottom left of the cage.
 
Rylee Meelan doubled the Utica lead just over 10-mintues later. Dowling again started the play with an excellent pass to Meelan in the high-slot. The Pioneer forward did well to protect the ball with her back to goal, before spinning left and whipping a hard shot that again found its way into the bottom left.
 
Elmira would push back with some offensive pressure of its own as the first half proceeded. Alli Gilbert '16 sent two shots on frame, but Utica keeper Kells Casey did well to maintain the visitor's shutout. The Soaring Eagles got their best look of the half in the 20^th-minute, when Atu Machika '18 sent a dangerous pass across the goal-mouth; however, no Elmira player was able to get a stick on the pass as the ball sailed past the cage.
 
The play between the two sides got a little rough as the first half wound to conclusion with both team's having players sent off with yellow and green cards. However, no goals would come from the player-up situations, as the Pioneers carried a 2-0 lead to the break.
 
Utica would not wait long to extend the lead in the second session, as Meghan McCormick would send home her first goal of the season, backhanding a shot into the bottom right of the cage after receiving an excellent pass from Meelan. The lead stretched to 4-0 less than five minutes later when Meelan scored her second of the game on a deflection of a long stroke from Tori Couture, which eluded Hockenberger as she came out to challenge.
 
Despite the lopsided deficit, the Soaring Eagles continued to battle hard. Kristy Haskell '19 would finally get Elmira on the board with her first of the season. With the home side controlling possession deep in Utica territory the ball was worked to the left hand side of the arc to Gilbert. She whipped a hard shot in the direction of goal, where Haskell deflected out of mid-air into the top right corner of the cage. The goal would cap the scoring for the afternoon.
 
In Her Own Words…
Head Coach Lauren Silva on the team's effort…
"Although the final outcome obviously wasn't what we wanted, I am extremely proud of our girl's compete level. We have been preaching a full 70-minute effort and I believe the team really gave its all today. This was one of our best all-around efforts of the season."
 
Head Coach Lauren Silva on Haskell's goal…
"Everyone likes to see beautiful clean shots on goal, but one area we have really been working hard on in practice is our tip drills and deflections. Kristy did an excellent job of getting in a dangerous area and showed great concentration to get a stick on that hard shot. It was great to see the hard work pay off with a goal today."
 
Turning Point
Trailing 2-0 at the break, but carrying nearly five-minutes of player-up time stemming from a dual yellow and green card presented to Colleen Dowling just before halftime, the Soaring Eagles had a golden opportunity to cut into the deficit. However, the Soaring Eagles ended up conceding a goal despite being a player up, when Meghan McCormick sent a hard backhand shot into the bottom right corner of the cage to up the Utica lead to 3-0.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Utica led Elmira 19-to-15 in shot attempts, including a 16-to-8 advantage in shots on goal.
• Elmira led Utica 10-to-6 in penalty corner opportunities. It is the second straight contest that EC has generated double-digit penalty corners.
• Hockenberger finished with 12 saves for the Soaring Eagles, while Kells Casey finished with seven saves for Utica.
• Utica out-fouled Elmira 82-to-58 in the contest.
• A total of six cards were presented in the contest, with both team's receiving two yellows and a green card apiece.
• Meelan of Utica led all players with eight shot attempts, all going on target. Gilbert led the Soaring Eagles with four shot attempts, which included three shots on goal.

 
News and Notes

• Haskell's goal in the 49^th-minute was the first of her collegiate career. It could not have come at a better time, as the first-year Elmira player was also celebrating her birthday today.
• Gilbert collected the assist on Haskell's goal. It was her fifth helper of the season, extending her career-high for a single-season. She now has collected an assist in four straight games.
• With the goal, Elmira has now tallied at least one goal in four consecutive games.
• The second half provided plenty of offensive fireworks; however, neither team was able to convert on a penalty stroke opportunity. Sarah McCaffrey '18 was denied on an excellent save by Utica reserve keeper Samantha Whitehouse in the 40^th minute. Hockenberger denied the Pioneer's Meelan on a penalty stroke opportunity less than a minute later.
• Whitehouse posted a rare stat line for Utica. Recording no minutes played, but collecting a save on McCaffrey's penalty stroke opportunity, before being subbed back out for starter Kells Casey.

 
Up Next
Elmira will continue Empire 8 play next Saturday, as the Soaring Eagles hit the road for the first time in conference play to face Hartwick College on September 26^th. Start time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.