PITTSBURGH, PA - The No. 15 Utica University women's hockey team beat Chatham University 5-2 on Saturday night to collect its ninth UCHC victory. The win also extends the team's win streak to a scorching eleven games.
The first period featured an abundance of shots for both teams yet Utica outshot Chatham 23-14. The Pioneers started aggressive as Holly Silva, Erica Sloan, and Georgiana Santullo all registered shots within the first two minutes of the game. The Pioneers were able to score at the 10:30 mark as Abby Lillis rifled a goal and was assisted by Ava Suda. At the 13:24 mark just as its power play was expiring, Georigana Santullo fired one into the back of the net to give Utica a 2-0 edge. Hailey Modlin and Carly Stefanini assisted the goal. The teams kept exchanging shots, yet Utica took its 2-0 edge into the first intermission.
The Pioneer dominance continued into the second frame as the team outshot Chatham 28-8. The teams each had multiple power plays, yet neither could convert as the defense was superb, especially in net. Yet, Chatham was able to convert on its final power play of the period as Brooke Almond found the back of the net at the 19:03 mark in the period. The Pioneers took a 2-1 edge into the final period of play.
Utica continued to play fast as Maggie Rylott scored just 1:23 into the third period to push the Pioneer lead to 3-1. Rylott's goal was assisted by Holly Silva. The Pioneers kept the pressure on and kept rifling in shots and found the back of the net again at the 4:09 mark of the third frame. The power play goal was scored by Georgiana Santullo and was assisted by Carolyn Whitney and Madison Novotny. Chatham scored again at the 16:03 mark as Cameron Carmody found the back of the net on the power play. Santullo scored an empty netter at the 19:40 mark to seal a 5-2 victory for the Pioneers and record her first hat trick of the season.
The Pioneers dominated as they outshot Chatham 46-19. Angela Hawthorne collected her eleventh win of the season and made seventeen saves. Santullo led the team with three points while Lillis, Rylott, Modlin, Suda, Silva, Whitney, Novotny, and Stefanini all collected one. Utica played phenomenal on both sides of the puck and was able to get the entire team involved while earning another UCHC victory.
No. 15 Utica (12-1-1, 9-0-1 UCHC) will return home to host Manhattanville College on Friday, January 20 at 4 p.m. at the Nexus Center.