Score: Utica College 3, Elmira College 0
Records: Utica (5-12, 4-4 E8), Elmira (2-12, 0-7 E8)
Location: Charles A. Gaetano Stadium – Utica, N.Y.

UTICA, N.Y. -- In the cold and rainy conditions at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium, the Elmira College field hockey team allowed three goals in the final 22 minutes to lose, 3-0, to Utica College in Empire 8 Conference action on Saturday afternoon.

The Purple and Gold had to face a barrage of shots to start off the contest. The Pioneers fired six shots in the first 10 minutes. Julie Hockenberger '18 was up to the challenge, making three saves that 10-minute stretch. The Manlius, New York, native finished the half with five saves on 11 shots.

Elmira's best chance came in the 16th minute when Katie Carroll '18 took a rebound in front of the Pioneer's cage and pushed a shot just wide. The Soaring Eagles had a few more chances in the half but were ultimately denied. Alison Mariano '18 finished the half with two shots; both were saved by Utica goalie Samantha Whitehouse.

Melissa Koch put Utica on the board first in the 48th minute. Koch rebounded a shot from another Pioneer right in front of the Elmira cage and poked the ball past Hockenberger.

In the second stanza, the Pioneers prevented the Soring Eagles from getting anything started on their side of the field. After recording four shots in the first half, Elmira finished the second stanza with just one shot. The lone shot came from Mariano when the Walpole, Massachusetts, native fired at shot towards the Utica cage, but it was kicked away by Whitehouse. 

Koch added another goal in the 13th minute with a strike from the 13 yards out to ice the match away for the Pioneers. Utica added one more goal in the 67th minute after the game had been put away.
 
Turning Point
The Soaring Eagles were unable to get their offense started in the second half. EC finished the half with only one shot. Without any offensive opportunities, the Soaring Eagles couldn't keep themselves in the close contest. This also resulted in increased offensive opportunities for the Pioneers, who took advantage and scored three goals in the final 22 minutes.

Inside the Box Score

• Utica outshot Elmira 21-to-5 in the contest.
• As for the second half, the Pioneers outshot the Soaring Eagles 10-to-1.
• Mariano finished with a team-leading three shots.
• The junior midfielder also posted a game-high tying three shots on goal, Utica's Rylee Meelan also finished with three.
• Meelan finished the tilt with a match-high seven shots.
• Hockenberger made six saves on the day.
• The Pioneers' Whitehouse finished the shutout with four saves. 

 
News and Notes

• Elmira dropped to 0-7 in E8 play on the season.
• With six saves, Hockenberger's save total for the season has risen to 127.
• Hokenberger now needs to make 29 more saves in the last three games to crack the all-time goalie list for saves in a season.
• Five shots in a game are tied for the lowest total that the Soaring Eagles have finished with this season.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will travel to Schmidt Stadium to take on Wilkes University in non-conference action on Tuesday, October 25th. The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.