UTICA, NY - One day after the Nexus Center ceremonial opening, the No. 14 Utica University women's hockey team celebrated with a 3-1 win over the Alvernia University Golden Wolves for its sixth consecutive victory. 

Utica dominated first period action as the team scored two goals within the first 12:30 of play while keeping Alvernia off the board. The Pioneers held a commanding 15-3 shot advantage by the end of the first. 

Cortney Staniszewski got the Pioneers on the board at the 9:58 mark as she fired a shot past Alvernia's goaltender, Julia Beaven. The goal came off assists from Ava Suda and Hannah Keating. Staniszewski has now scored in consecutive matchups and has three goals on the season. Carly Stefanini would strike again shortly for the Pioneers as she netted the second goal of the night unassisted at the 12:19 mark in the first.

The Golden Wolves showed some fight in the second, scoring the lone goal in the period to make the score 2-1.

Alvernia's Abby Reisinger was the one to find the back of the net for the team, an unassisted goal, at the 4:41 mark to bring the Golden Wolves deficit to a goal. Their early period attack continued as they entered a penalty kill at the 6:35 mark. Utica was able to fend off Alvernia after multiple excellent saves by Angela Hawthorne. The Pioneers have been incredible defending in penalty kills this season, allowing only one goal in 26 penalty kills for a .038 percentage. Despite outshooting Alvernia 6-4 in the period, Utica was not able to add a goal of their own but maintained a 2-1 lead entering the final frame. 

It was a constant battle in the neutral zone for the first portion of the third period until freshman Tess Barrett brought back the momentum to the Pioneers. Off of passes from Erica Sloan and Stefanini, Barrett fired a backhanded sniper top shelf at the 12:56 mark as Beaven had no chance at making the save. Barrett's goal was her second of the season and put Utica back ahead by a pair before ultimately closing the game out with a 3-1 win.

Utica played strong throughout the contest finishing the game with a 30-20 shot advantage. Stefanini led the Pioneers in points with two while Sloan, Ava Suda, Hannah Keating, Barrett and Staniszewski all had one point in the game. In goal, Hawthorne recorded 19 saves including 13 in the third period. 

No. 14 Utica (7–1-1, 6-0-1 UCHC) will host Alvernia again at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Adirondack Bank Center.