UTICA, NY – Casey Pelletier (Middletown, CT/Mercy) tallied a career-high six goals as she guided the Utica College women's lacrosse team to a 9-5 victory over visiting SUNY Potsdam Friday afternoon at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.

UC jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when freshman midfielder Kathy Waite (Levittown, NY/Division Avenue) tallied her 13th goal of the season just 59 seconds into the contest. Pelletier assisted on the first goal of the game. Potsdam answered right back less than four minutes later when sophomore Alisha Schaad (Central Square/Paul V. Moore), the 2006 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year, beat UC goalie Jessica LeClerc (Augusta, ME/Deerfield Academy) to tie the game up 1-1 half way through the first half.

The Pioneers scored four unanswered goals to close out the half and take a 5-1 lead into intermission. Pelletier tallied three of the final four first half goals, while Laura Keating (Whitesboro, NY/Horseheads) netted the fourth. Pelletier leads the Pioneers with 21 points this season (16 goals, five assists). Keating has tallied 17 points this on nine goals and a team-best eight assists.

The Bears played an even game in the second half, but LeClerc held her ground in net for the Pioneers. Junior midfielder Alison Cunningham (Indian River/Indian River) tallied Potsdams' first two goals of the second half while Alisha Schaad scored the final two to give her a team-high three on the day.

Keating closed out the game with two goals and one assist while Kelly Regan (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) tallied her fourth assist of the season.

Potsdam out shot UC 26-22 on the day, but the Pioneers won the ground ball battle 30-22. The Pioneers also won 9-of-16 draw controls.

LeClerc made 16 stops in net for the Pioneers, while Danielle Smith (Waterloo/Waterloo) made seven saves on the other end.

The Pioneers return to action against visiting Alfred University in their Empire 8 Conference opener Friday. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. The Bears face Elmira at 5 p.m. Saturday at Corning High School.
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