WILKES-BARRE – No. 12 Utica University defeated the Wilkes University women's ice hockey team 4-0 Saturday afternoon at the Toyota SportsPlex in United Collegiate Hockey Conference play.

Wilkes fell to 4-16-2 overall and to 4-11-2 in the conference with the home loss. The nationally ranked Pioneers improved to 19-1-2 overall and 16-0-1 in the UCHC.

Emma Swansburg (Shelburne, NS/Shelburne Regional) made a career high 57 saves for the Colonels as she faced 61 shots on goal, finishing the game with a .934 save percentage. She stopped all 15 shots in a scoreless first period.

Utica scored three goals in the second period to take control. Swansburg made 20 saves in the second frame. Julie Patterson (Trenton, NJ/) nearly put Wilkes on the scoreboard with a little over seven minutes left in the second but her shot with the goaltender scrambling hit the iron.

The Pioneers added one goal in the third period as Swansburg tallied 22 more saves. Breese Burlingame had 17 saves in the shutout victory for Utica.

Utica was 2-for-4 on power plays with 15 total shots on goal. Wilkes went 0-for-4 on its power play attempts with eight total shots on goal on the advantage.

Bella Kaczorowski (Anchorage, AK) led the Colonels with four shots on goal in the game as Abigail Davis (Mountain Top, PA) followed with three. Rachel Morey (Buffalo, WY/) was 12-for-24 on faceoffs to lead Wilkes. Utica won 35-of-53 total faceoffs.

The two teams will conclude the series tomorrow with a game at 3:30 p.m. inside the Toyota SportsPlex.