CORTLAND, N.Y. - Five different players scored goals, including two late empty-net tallies, as the Cortland women's ice hockey team defeated Utica, 5-2, in ECAC West action Friday night at Alumni Arena. The Red Dragons improved to 1-6-2 overall and 1-5-2 in the conference with the win, while the Pioneers fell to 7-5 and 5-5. The victory was Cortland's second in 21 tries versus Utica with the other win being a 3-2 triumph during the 2003-04 season. The Red Dragons have dropped six one-goal games in the series.

Senior Shannon Hakes (Rochester/Rochester Edge), sophomore Kelly Micillo (Sayville/Suffolk PAL) and freshmen Gina Tomei (Bronx/Sound Shore Warriors) and Allie Beall (Missoula, MT/National Sports Academy) each recorded one goal and one assist for the Red Dragons, and sophomore Cara Latchum (Warrington, PA/Wyoming Seminary) scored a goal. Junior Jen Whelan (Langhorne, PA/Neumann University), sophomores Chelsey Wright (Medford/Suffolk PAL) and Erika Osborne (Sharon Springs/The Harvey School) and freshman Jenn Fitzgerald (Phoenix, AZ/Gilmour Academy) collected one assist apiece. Sophomore goalie Sarah Sitcov (Arlington, VA/Wyoming Seminary) stopped 35 shots.

Senior Meagan Sudik (West Bend, WI/Wisconsin Wild) and sophomore Nicole Joslyn (Whitesboro/Rochester Edge) netted Utica's goals. Seniors Samantha Glockling (Carleton Place, ON/Tilton School), Tiffany Bichrest (Harpswell, ME/Hebron Academy) and Darcy Hier (Aurora, CO/Colorado Selects) and freshman Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) chipped in with one assist each. Freshman goalie Jennifer Hamel (Ithaca/Northwood School) started between the pipes, making seven saves in 24 minutes, five seconds before giving way to junior Marissa Hotaling (Whitesboro/Syracuse Stars), who stopped five shots in 35:15.

Hakes gave the Red Dragons a 1-0 lead at 16:11 of the first period on a spinning one timer from the right side that beat Hamel through the pads. Sudik tied the score on the power play at 19:50 when she deposited a rebound in front.

Tomei gave Cortland the lead back at 4:05 of the second period, stuffing a loose puck into an empty net after Hakes' shot caromed back off the end boards and out front. The Pioneers wasted little time in evening the score at 2-2 as Joslyn scored on a deflection in front just 33 seconds later. Beall netted what proved to be the game winner at the 9:13 mark of the second when she knocked in a rebound of Osborne's shot on the right side.

The Pioneers carried much of the play throughout the third period, but Sitcov denied every shot she saw and the Cortland defenders blocked multiple shots. With time winding down, Cortland took a penalty at 15:53. Utica failed to score the equalizer and drew a penalty at 17:24. Shortly after the Cortland player left the box, the Pioneers pulled Hotaling and the teams were skating five per side. Forty-six seconds later, Micillo scored a power-play goal from center ice into the empty net to increase the lead to 4-2. Utica again pulled Hotaling after the ensuing faceoff at center ice and Latchum capped the scoring with a goal from her own blue line that barely trickled over the goal line.   

Cortland 5, Utica 2

Score by periods:
Utica                   1-1-0    2
Cortland             1-2-2    5

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Utica: Meagan Sudik 1-0, Nicole Joslyn 1-0, Samantha Glockling 0-1, Tiffany Bichrest 0-1, Megan Myers 0-1, Darcy Hier 0-1 
Cortland: Shannon Hakes 1-1, Kellie Micillo 1-1, Gina Tomei 1-1, Allie Beall 1-1, Cara Latchum 1-0, Jen Whelan 0-1, Chelsey Wright 0-1, Erika Osborne 0-1, Jenn Fitzgerald 0-1

Saves: Jennifer Hamel (Utica) 7 saves (2 GA in 24:05), Marissa Hotaling (Utica) 5 saves (1 GA in 35:15), Empty Net 2 GA in 1:40; Sarah Sitcov (Cortland) 35 saves (2 GA in 60:00)
Shots on goal: Utica 37 (12-18-7), Cortland 17 (8-5-4)
Penalties: Utica 3-6:00, Cortland 3-6:00
Power Play: Cortland 1-3, Utica 1-3
Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 1-6-2, 1-5-2 ECAC West; Utica (Pioneers) 6-5, 5-5 ECAC West