SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Four early goals were enough for the No. 18 Skidmore College field hockey team, as it closed the home portion of the regular season with a 4-2 victory against Utica in non-league action at Wagner Park Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Thoroughbreds improve to 13-5 overall, winning seven of the last eight games. Utica drops to 8-8.
 
After a plethora of early opportunities for the Thoroughbreds were sent aside by the Utica defense, it was Mary Beth Zahnleuter who got Skidmore on the board with her goal at 18:49. Off the Skidmore penalty corner, Marissa Folts found Zahnleuter right inside the arc, with the sophomore unleashing a hard shot that went past the scrum in front of cage, by Utica goalie Samantha Whitehouse.
 
Skidmore earned another penalty corner seconds before half, converting on the chance to double its lead. The initial shot by Zahnleuter was saved by the Utica defender, but Miranda Davenport kept possession alive for the Thoroughbreds, feeding it to Grace Florsheim, getting a high shot past the goalie.
 
Utica nearly cut the lead in half minutes into the second half, but Skidmore goalie Elizabeth Coughlin was there to keep Utica off the board with a pair of solid saves. Utica's Sydney Scaccia got the initial shot that Coughlin turned aside, but the ball fell to the stick of Melissa Koch in front of goal. Coughlin, initially out of position, got back in front of net, just in time to turn Koch's shot aside at 37:01.
 
Skidmore would strike again 58 seconds later, as Gabby Hyman tallied her 11^th of the season. Seeley Fancher fed Hyman in the arc on the break, as the junior beat the goalie and fired an easy shot in cage. Hyman would strike again in the 56^th minute, punching a shot over the goalie in front of cage.
 
Utica would tack on a pair of late goals, trying to mount a comeback. Utica's Rylee Meelan tallied her team-leading ninth of the season in the 66^th minute, and Meelan would feed Sabrina Whitehouse for her seventh on the season, with 42 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
Skidmore outshot the Pioneers, 23-13 and earned nine penalty corners. Coughlin picked up the victory, shutting out Utica through 55:29 with a pair of saves. Zoe McGuire made three stops in 9:52 of action in the second half, before giving way to Maddy Carré for the final 4:39.
 
Samantha Whitehouse made 11 saves to lead the Pioneers.
 
The Thoroughbreds will finish the regular season with a trip to Cortland, Saturday at 1 p.m.