The University of Rochester earned its fourth straight win and second consecutive shutout with a 4-0 victory over Utica College at Edwin Fauver Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
Rochester, ranked #12 in the preseason poll of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association, is 4-0 overall. Utica slipped to 1-3. The Pioneers lost their opener to SUNY Ne Paltz, defeated Oneonta, 4-3,, then lost in overtime at Ithaca, 2-1. The Yellowjackets defeated Nazareth (7-1), #16 Cortland (4-1), and Houghton (2-0 on Saturday) heading into Sunday.
 
Nancy Bansbach and Kira Ozer scored two goals apiece for the Yellowjackets. Bansbach raised her total to a team-high five goals. Ozer has three goals. She scored a solo goal in Saturday's win over Houghton.
 
Kate Kujawa made six saves to earn her second straight shutout. For Utica, Megan Chamberlain had 10 saves (and four goals allowed) in 54:55. Carly Tebolt played the final 15:05. She was not required to make a save.
 
Rochester scored early – just 5:13 into the match. Colleen Maillie took the ball into the center of the circle and passed it to Bansbach who scored from six yards out to the low, left corner.
 
The Yellowjackets assembled a steady stream of traffic towards the Pioneer goal. Chamberlain made good saves against  Jennifer Lee and Bansbach. UR broke through for its second goal on a penalty corner with less than 10 minutes left in the half. Kate Tiffany played it to Bansbach inside the circle on the attacking left. She lifted the ball to the top right corner of the cage at 25:14.
 
Four minutes into the second half, Chamberlain denied Bansbach but Ozer quickly got to the rebound and scored for a 3-0 lead. The final goal came at 41:27, scored by Ozer. Amanda Strenk made a nice swerving run through the circle and past defenders. She pushed it just slightly ahead of her in heavy goalmouth traffic to Ozer who tapped home from two yards away.
 
Utica made Kujawa work for her shutout. Right after Ozer's first goal, Rylee Meelan fired a low blast off a penalty corner that Kujawa blocked. And, after the second Ozer goal, Madison Babicz sent a crisp pass into the center of the circle. The defenders blocked it, but Joanna Gaertner got to the loose ball and fired, only to see Kujawa make the save. With 16 minutes to go, Kujawa stopped a lifted ball from Kaitlynn Palmer and a low shot by Meelan.
 
Tebolt relieved with 15 minutes to go. Fifteen seconds into her appearance, Bansbach lifted a ball that struck the crossbar and bounced harmlessly away. With 10 minutes left, she stared down shots from Lauren Sharpe (blocked by the defense) and Ozer (just wide of the net).
 
Rochester's bid for a fifth goal came in the 66^th minute. Rachel Iaione made a long run down the right sideline on a counter attack. She rapped a pass into the middle, but the shot was sent wide.
 
Next: Rochester will host the College at Brockport on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The Yellowjackets play at Keuka College two days later, then face the University of Mary Washington on Sunday at 11 a.m. The match will be played at Spooky Nook, home of the U.S. National Training Center in Manheim, PA, just outside Lancaster, PA. Utica is idle until next Saturday when the Pioneers play vs. Sage College with the match being held at RPI in Troy, NY.