UTICA, N.Y.-Utica College scored four unanswered goals, including three in the second period, to secure a 4-2 UCHC victory over William Smith at the Utica Memorial Auditorium this afternoon. With the loss, the Herons are now 11-4-3 overall and 7-1-2 in conference play this season.
 
The Pioneers (8-8-0, 4-4-0) were led by Elizabeth Dohner's three points (1g, 2a). Senior Kiley Fewster and junior Stephanie Hampton scored the goals for William Smith.
 
William Smith wasted little time opening the scoring. Fewster pocketed her eighth goal of the season 78 seconds into game. She redirected a junior Maura Mulligan shot from the point through Bria Reilly's legs. The goal came on the Herons' first shot of the game. Sophomore Taylor Morash picked up the secondary assist on the goal. Hampton gave William Smith a 2-0 lead at the 11:16 mark. She collected a rebound at the right post and batted the puck across the goal line. Senior Krista Federow and sophomore Gina Scibetta were credited with assists on the goal. Federow's initial shot from the left faceoff circle was turned aside by Reilly but Hampton was there to pounce on the rebound.
 
The Herons finished the first period with an 11-10 edge in shots on goal.
 
The Pioneers came out firing on all cylinders in the second period. Carlie Smith's second goal of the season brought Utica within a goal. She fired a rebound past Maggie Salmon from the low slot. Dohner and Kyra Borsoi collected the assists on the goal. Less than three minutes later, Lexi Stanisewski banged home another rebound to tie the game at 2-2. Jennifer Arts and Rebecca Brown picked up assists on the goal which came just seven seconds after a successful William Smith penalty kill. Jennifer Liu scored the game-winning goal at 15:47 of the second period. The power-play goal was assisted by Dohner and Danielle Haasbeek.
 
The Pioneers dominated the second period finishing with a huge advantage in shots on goal, 17-4.
 
Dohner added an empty-net power-play goal with 45 seconds remaining to ice the game.
 
William Smith had its chances to tie the game in the third period but could not take advantage of a pair of 5-on-3 power play opportunities. Scibetta had one of the better opportunities on the first 5-on-3 but her point blank shot was turned aside by Reilly's blocker. On the second 5-on-3, Scibetta had two shots and Federow had another from the low slot turned aside by the Utica goalie. The Herons outshot Utica 13-8 in the final 20 minutes.
 
After a slow start, Reilly made 26 saves in goal for Utica. Senior Maggie Salmon stopped 31 shots in in goal for the Herons.
 
The Pioneers made the most of their power-plays, finishing the game 2-for-5 with the extra skater. William Smith was 0-for-8.
 
The Herons, who are tied for first in the UCHC with Elmira, will return to The Cooler next weekend, Jan. 27-28. William Smith hosts Manhattanville in a pair of critical conference games.