BOX SCORE

Senior Roberto Sgueglia (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) drilled home a penalty kick with 3:30 left in the first overtime to lift the Utica College men's soccer to a 2-1 victory against visiting Skidmore College in the home opener for the Pioneers on the turf at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Wednesday night. UC has now won five straight contests to improve to 5-1 on the year. Sgueglia also assisted on the Pioneers' first goal of the evening which was headed home by sophomore DJ Ilebani (Abuja, Nigeria/Intl. School of Kenya).

Skidmore opened the scoring on the evening with the lone goal of the first half when senior forward Matt Kelsey knocked home his fourth goal of the season into the top right corner past UC freshman goalie Anthony Caruso (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow). The goal came off a corner kick which was initially received by Greg Lloyd, who kept the ball alive and eventually earned the assist on Kelsey's goal.

Ilebani headed home the equalizer in the 59th minute to knot the score up at 1-1. Sgueglia sent a perfect free kick into the box and Ilebani re-directed the game-tying goal in from five yards out.

The Pioneers had an outstanding opportunity to steal the victory in regulation with less than ten seconds to go after Sgueglia sent another beautiful free kick into the box, but Skidmore goal Nick Peterson made two miraculous saves to keep the Pioneers off the board, and send the game into extra time.

Sgueglia was taken down in the box with 3:30 to go in the first overtime to earn the penalty kick opportunity. He sealed the victory by rocketing the penalty kick into the top right corner.

Utica outshot Skidmore 19-9 on the evening and earned a 3-2 corner kick advantage.

Caruso finished the day with four saves in net for the Pioneers, while his counterpart, Nick Peterson, stopped eight shots for the Thoroughbreds.

The Pioneers return to action Friday when they travel to Keuka College to take on the Storm at 7 p.m.

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