GENEVA, NY - Utica University's women's hockey team hit the road in the second game of their season-opening series with the William Smith College Herons. After falling last night, the Pioneers evened the series by defeating their hosts 2-0. The orange and blue will look to carry momentum into another home-and-home series next weekend, challenging Oswego State, a team receiving votes in both the USCHO and DIIIHockeyNews national polls.
The Pioneer point-scoring was limited to just three players, but it was an incredible goaltending performance that helped seal a win. After entering late in yesterday's game, freshman netminder Yael Fatiev made her first collegiate start, stopping all 40 shots she faced. The two-time former silver medalist only got better as the game progressed, making 8, 13, and 19 saves in each period, respectively. Utica's goal scoring was done by the pair of centers Kendall Best and Samantha Dobrzynski. Sophomore defender Veronica Houk recorded the orange and blue's only assist. Best flashed two-way ability by not only scoring the game-winner, but also leading Utica in both faceoffs (14-of-22) and blocked shots (three).
Utica applied the early pressure, but puck control moved in favor of William Smith as the game developed. The Pioneers outshot their hosts 13-8 in the opening frame, but lost the shot battle 13-7 and 19-4 in the remaining thirds. The orange and blue's breakthrough came in the mid-second, 8:38 into the period. Just seconds after a successful Utica penalty kill, Best subbed onto the ice, chasing down a long-range dump by Houk and netting the 10th goal of her career.
Dobrzynski scored an insurance goal 6:30 into the third period to establish the eventual 2-0 final. The sophomore picked up a loose puck on the power play, circling back into the neutral zone. After crossing the blue line, she danced into the middle of the Heron defense, firing a shot that found its way past the William Smith netminder. The home squad tried to claw back in, even mounting just short of three minutes of empty-net play against the Pioneers, but could not find their way onto the scoreboard.
Utica women's hockey returns to the ice next Friday and Saturday, November 6th and 7th, in a home-and-home set with Oswego State. The Lakers, who are receiving votes in both major national polls, will host Friday's game at their Marano Campus Center Arena before coming to the Nexus Center on Saturday. Both games are set for 3:00 pm puck drops.