PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's ice hockey team suffered its first defeat of the season on Wednesday night, as the Soaring Eagles (6-1-0) fell in a non-conference matchup to Utica College (6-5-0), 2-1.
 
A tightly contested first period saw Elmira claim a 1-0 lead behind the efforts of the team's newest 100-point club member, Emma Crocker '21. On the power play, tic-tac-toe passes from Mary McCafferty '22 and Devyn Gilman '21 connected with Crocker, who backhanded it in from the slot for the goal at 6:40.
 
The two teams would go on to match each other shot for shot, 8-8, in the opening period, but no additional goals were scored as Elmira skated into the first intermission with a one-goal advantage.
 
Shots were once again close in the second period with Elmira holding a slight edge, 9-8. Despite that advantage in shots, Utica was able to break through for a goal and knot the game at 1-1.
 
After receiving a pass from behind the cage, Alexa Carlon punched in the puck from the slot at 15:54. Carolyn Whitney and Abby Lillis were credited with assists on the tally, which sent the two sides into the final intermission deadlocked at one goal apiece.
 
Elmira outshot Utica, 21-6, in the third period, but the Pioneers would make the most of their opportunities. After winning a puck battle along the left-side boards, Carlon slid a pass to the slot to Whitney, who spun and fired a shot that snuck past Elizabeth Hanson '21 for the goal.
 
Trailing by a goal, EC pulled Hanson from net for the final 58 seconds of regulation in hopes of leveling the contest. Elmira had a handful of close-range chances in the closing seconds, but Utica's Savannah Gutierrez made save after save to preserve the win.
 
News and Notes

• Elmira outshot Utica, 38-22.
• EC went 1-for-3 on the power play.
• Utica was 0-for-1 with the extra skater.
• Elmira suffered its first defeat while scoring a power-play goal since 2/16/20.
• McCafferty and Gilman extended their point streaks to six games.
• Crocker scored her sixth goal, which is tied for the team lead.
• Crocker has 12 power-play goals during her EC career.
• Hanson finished with 20 saves in 59:02 of action between the pipes.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles are back in action this Friday, March 19, when they battle Wilkes University in United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) action. The opening puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center.