ELMIRA, N.Y. -- In pursuit of their third consecutive Pat Thompson '75 Trophy as United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) champions, the top-seeded and No. 5-ranked Elmira College women's ice hockey team begins postseason play this Saturday, February 29, in the quarterfinal round against Utica College.

Puck drop between the Soaring Eagles and the fourth-seeded Pioneers from Utica is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center, located at 170 Huck Finn Road in Horseheads, New York.

Tickets for Saturday's UCHC quarterfinal will go on sale at 2:00 p.m. the day of the game in the main lobby of the MAC. Prices are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for senior citizens and students with ID. Elmira College students with a valid ID and children under 12 will receive free admission.

For those unable to attend, live stats and streaming video will be available here.

Elmira (19-4-2, 14-2-0 UCHC) led both halves of the UCHC with 28 conference points to earn home-ice advantage throughout the tournament. Led by the nation's fourth-best scoring offense and second-best defense, the Soaring Eagles have their sights set on a ninth consecutive win over Utica, while remaining undefeated in UCHC Tournament games at the MAC. In regular-season action, EC swept the Pioneers in a pair of shutouts, including a 2-0 win in the finale on February 23.

Utica (9-15-1, 9-6-1 UCHC) secured the fourth seed in the North Division and are appearing in postseason play for the 18th time in the program's 19-year history. However, the Pioneers ended the regular season 2-4 in their last six games. Not to be overlooked is the fact that the Pioneers began conference play with a stunning 4-1 upset of Nazareth way back on November 12, an effort they'll need to duplicate if they hope to advance in the playoffs.

For more information on the UCHC Tournament, please visit the 2020 UCHC Championship Central homepage or visit www.theuchc.com.

Elmira fans can find the most up-to-date information by following the Soaring Eagles on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, in addition to checking athletics.elmira.edu for the latest news.