Box Score UTICA, N.Y. – The Manhattanville women's hockey team suffered its third consecutive loss on Saturday afternoon, as the Valiants dropped their non-conference matchup to the Utica Pioneers by a score of 4-0.
 
The Pioneers outshot Manhattanville 4-1, but the tide turned as the Valiants took five of the game's next seven shots to keep the shots even at six through the first 11 minutes of action. Manhattanville was awarded the game's first power play at 11:53 but were only able to muster one shot off the stick of senior Erin Sidjak (Delta, British Columbia/Pacific Steelers (JWHL)).
 
Shortly after killing off their own penalty, Utica quickly went to their first power play of the contest and made it count as Nicole Schwartz opened up the scoring to give the home squad a 1-0 lead. The Valiants had another two power play chances to tie the game, but were unable to convert on either chance.
 
The second period started with the Valiants on the power play, but again the Pioneers thwarted the chance for Manhattanville. After killing off the disadvantage, Utica stormed right back down the ice and scored as Louise Steele-Norton put the puck past Manhattanville junior goalkeeper Mary Evans (Ferndale, Mich./Honeybaked (TOEHL)) to put the Pioneers up by a 2-0 score.
 
Both teams overlapped penalties during the middle-stages of the second period but neither side was able to find the back of the net, as the two teams skated to the dressing rooms with Utica holding onto its 2-0 lead.
 
In the third period it took just 34 seconds for the Pioneers to get on the board once again as this time it was Meredith Tice to rattle the net after taking passes from Carmen Johnson and Megan Myers. Several minutes later the Valiants were given yet another chance for an extra skater chance, but instead of the Valiants taking advantage it was Utica to capitalize.
 
Myers scored the fourth and final goal for her team-leading seventh goal of the season and her first of the short-handed variety this season. The final 14:40 ticked off the clock with Manhattanville being outshot 8-4 down the stretch of the contest as the offense struggled for the second consecutive game.
 
Final shot totals were in favor of Utica by a close 29-27 margin, but the home team controlled much of the play through the final 20 minutes as the Pioneers took 13 shots to the Valiants' six in the last period.
 
Earning the win was Utica's Marissa Hotaling (1-2) after making 27 saves for the shutout victory. Suffering the loss was Evans (4-5-1) after a 25-save performance.
 
Manhattanville (6-5-1, 5-0-1 ECAC East) will play its final non-conference game of the regular season this coming Tuesday evening when it hosts the Connecticut College Camels on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. with coverage of the game available on GoValiants.TV. Utica (5-6-0, 3-3-0 ECAC West) will return to ECAC West Conference action at home against the Potsdam Bears on Saturday, January 12 at 4:00 p.m.