Field Hockey | 10/26/2019 3:13:00 PM
ONEONTA, NY - The Utica College field hockey team clinched the No. 2 seed in the Empire 8 Conference tournament as it downed host Hartwick College 2-1 in E8 play on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers have now qualified for the conference tournament twice in the last three years.
Utica (7-9) entered the game tied with the Hawks for the second spot in the conference each with 4-1 records in league play. With the win, UC improves to 5-1 in the E8 with one conference game remaining.
The Pioneers got on the board at 9:09 of the first quarter when sophomore Madeline Krecidlo cleaned up the garbage after a scramble in front of the Hartwick goal. Junior Sydney Scaccia was credited with an assist on the play.
The Hawks responded just before the end of the first half when Brooke Singer rocketed in a shot off a pass from Sydney Gagnon off a penalty corner to send the teams into halftime tied 1-1.
Krecidlo put the game away in the 51
st minute as she buried a feed from Sabrina Whitehouse for her seventh goal of the season.
That was all the Pioneers needed as goalie Megan Chamberlain shut the door. Chamberlain finished with six saves on the day, while her counterpart, Allyson Osbourne made seven saves in the loss.
The Pioneers return to action Wednesday as they travel to Skidmore College. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.