UTICA, N.Y. -- The Manhattanville College women's hockey team dropped its first United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) game of the season Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 9, falling to the Utica College Pioneers 2-0 in the teams' UCHC two-game series finale at the Adirondack Bank Center.

Utica (10-3, 7-1 UCHC) earned a series split following a 2-1 win for Manhattanville (9-3-2, 6-1-1 UCHC) Tuesday night.

Senior goalie Rose Pijaca (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy) stopped 21 of 23 shots for Manhattanville; junior Zoey Pellowitz (Arlington, Va./Washington Pride (JWHL)) had a team-high four shots for the Valiants while freshman Holly Meredith (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Vermont Academy), and sophomores Tianna Lopes (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Pacific Steelers (JWHL)) and Ashley DeFusco (Cranston, R.I./La Salle Academy) all had three shots apiece. Lexi Stanisewski scored in the first period and Nicole Johnson added a third-period insurance goal for Utica (10-3, 7-1 UCHC).

After being outshot 33-19 last night, Manhattanville outshot the Pioneers 9-7 in the first period, but only Stanisewski found the back of the net at 16:47 for Utica. Following a scoreless second period, Johnson made it 2-0 at 11:09 of the final period. Utica goalie Bria Reilly finished with 23 saves for the shutout.

Both teams' defensive special teams were outstanding, each killing off five power play opportunities for the opposition. Pellowitz, senior Ellis Smith (Buffalo, N.Y./Niagara Junior Purple Eagles (WNYAHL)), juniors Amanda Sabia (Freehold, N.J./The Gunnery) and Ali Howard (Rye, N.Y./Rye), and freshman Ana Tittmann (Salisbury, Conn./Housatonic Valley Regional) all blocked a shot for the Valiants.

For the first time since November 17, the Valiants will return home to Playland Ice Casino this weekend for another UCHC series, this time against one of the top teams in D-III, Elmira College. Puck drop for game one against the Soaring Eagles is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 11.