Utica 15, Alfred 5 - Box Score

Utica, N.Y. (4/17/2011) – The Utica College women's lacrosse improved to 6-6 overall and 3-4 in Empire 8 Conference play Sunday after a 15-5 victory over conference foe Alfred University on senior day at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. The Pioneers, who have three regular season road games left, said goodbye to seniors Tammy Kohanski (Syracuse, NY/Corcoran) (college's all-time leading scorer), Kelley Fullerton (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), Lily Fleskes (Dover, MA/Dover Sherborn), Kasey Lederle (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore) and Julianne Schultheiss (Commack, NY/Commack).

Kohanski led all scorers with eight points on three goals and five assists and she now has 57 total points on the year (37 goals, 20 assists). Schultheiss added three goals of her own, while junior Katlyn Banker (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta) chipped in with three goals and two assists. Ashley White and Ali Garcia each posted two goals for the Saxons (2-9, 0-6 Empire 8).

The Pioneers commanded play from the get go and cruised to an 8-0 lead in the first 18:58 of the contest behind three goals from Banker, two from Schultheiss and one each from Kohanski, Maria Santucci (Holliston, MA/Marian) and Fleskes.

Alfred answered by netting two of the first half's final three goals, but the Saxons could only manage to cut the Pioneers' lead to 9-2 after 30 full minutes of action.

UC sealed the victory by scoring the first five goals of the second half to take a 14-2 lead with 21:40 to play. Alfred went on to score three goals in the final 18:04 of regulation, but the Pioneers held on for the convincing ten goal victory. Freshman two-sport athlete (hockey, lacrosse) Venessa Maines netted her first collegiate goal for Utica with 4:58 left in the contest and classmate Janet Campo (Centerport, NY/Harborfields) added her fifth goal of the season.

Utica outshot the visitors 29-13 on the day and earned a 24-16 ground ball advantage. Junior Shelby Barbay (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo) and sophomore Stephanie Belanger (Lewiston, ME/Lewiston) split time in net for the Pioneers and combined for six saves and five ground balls. Kate Baughman stopped three shots in between the pipes for the Saxons.

Kohanski added five caused turnovers and five ground balls for UC, while Lederle caused two turnovers and scooped up two ground balls. Schultheiss also added four ground balls.

Utica returns to action on Wednesday when it wraps up its non conference schedule with a contest at Oneonta. The first draw control is scheduled for 4 p.m.

                                                                      --- www.ucpioneers.com ---