UTICA, NY – Sophomore Sophia Nortz scored her first goal of the season to lead the Nazareth University Women's Hockey team to a 3-2 victory over No. 9 Utica University Friday night in a rematch of the 2023 United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Championship game.

Utica (14-1-2 overall, 10-1-2 UCHC) scored first to take the early lead but graduate student Makenna Wiljanen scored on an odd man rush to knot the score at 1-1.

Wiljanen faked Utica goaltender Maddie Esposito on a rush and had a great backhand finish for Nazareth's first goal of the game. Sophomore Audrey Donahue earned an assist for her breakout pass to Wiljanen, and the first intermission saw the teams tied at 1-1.

The intensity of play from the first period picked back up from the beginning of the second. As physicality increased, neither team managed to get a goal until less than two minutes left in the period, when Nortz scored with a perfect backhand tip off a shot from the point by freshman Allie Zack. Nortz redirected the puck between her leg and through the pads of Esposito for the 2-1 lead.

The third period was another intense period of play, but Nazareth controlled the game and capitalized on its second power play opportunity for the 3-1 lead.

Graduate student Ingrid Holstad tipped one by Esposito off another great shot from the point by Zack for the eventual game-winning goal. Freshman Nikki Sharp earned an assist on the play as well.

A last-minute effort by Utica narrowed the gap to a goal but the Pioneers couldn't manage the tying goal and the game ended with a 3-2 Golden Flyers win.

Senior goaltender McKinley Hoff finished with 16 saves for her eighth win of the season.

The Golden Flyers return to the Nexus Center tomorrow for a 2 p.m. puck drop against the Pioneers.