UTICA, NY – Senior goaltender McKinley Hoff made 11 saves in the third period and finished with 25  to lead the Nazareth University Women's Ice Hockey team to a weekend sweep over Utica University with a 2-1 win Saturday in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) series finale.

Nazareth (13-5-1 overall, 13-0-1 UCHC) solidified its first place standing with six-points over the weekend. The Golden Flyers improved to 41 standings points and moved eight points ahead of Utica (14-3-2, 10-2-2 UCHC) who is in second with 33 points in the standings.

Utica struck first with a first period goal to take the early lead.

Nazareth answered when freshman Ella Cedrone scored her sixth goal of the season and team-leading 21st point of the year. Sophomore Abby Flanagan won an offensive zone faceoff to fellow sophomore Sophia Nortz who shot the puck, and Cedrone was there to bury the rebound.

Late in the third period, freshman Meredith Boettcher finished a play started by graduate student Makenna Wiljanen for the go-ahead goal at the 13:33 mark of the period.

Hoff made 10 saves in the first period and was unbeatable in the third period with her 11 stops to secure the victory for the Golden Flyers.

The Golden Flyers are back home against Arcadia University for a weekend series at the TimHorton's Iceplex starting Friday.