UTICA, NY - The No. 2 Utica University women's hockey team cruised to a 4-0 win in the UCHC quarterfinal Tuesday evening over seventh seeded Alvernia University. Four different Pioneers scored in the win.
 
Utica will await its semifinal opponent as the rest of the conference quarterfinal matches will be played Wednesday evening.  The Pioneers will host the semifinal round on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Adirondack Bank Center. 
 
Despite putting 20 shots on goal in the first period, Utica had nothing to show for it as the teams went into the locker room tied 0-0 after 20 minutes.  The Pioneers broke the deadlock just 30 seconds into the second stanza when senior Georgiana Santullo put in a feed from Carly Stefanini for her team-leading 28th goal of the year.  Junior Erica Sloan also picked up an assist on the opener.  The point was Santullo's 54th of the season, tying her with former All-American and Pioneer Hall of Famer Deana Weigand for the most points in a single-season at Utica.
 
Utica extended its lead at the eight-minute mark of the second as Rebecca Brown found the back of the net.  Brooke Hubert and Abby Lillis assisted on Brown's 17th of the year.  The Pioneers tacked on another tally with 2:24 remaining in the second when Maggie Rylott cleaned up a loose puck in front.  Carolyn Whitney and Ava Suda were credited with the assists. 
 
Stefanini put an exclamation point on the game at 16:59 of the third with a beautiful one-timer off a pass from Sloan.  Senior Sirena Fitzery also picked up an assist on the play.
 
Sophomore Angela Hawthorne turned aside all 11 shots she faced to pick up her team-leading sixth shutout of the year.  Her counterpart, Julia Beaven finished with 55 saves for the Golden Wolves.