Junior Ben Winkler tied Head Coach Mike Parnell's single-game school record with eight goals
Box Score Utica 18, Cazenovia 10 -
Box Score
Utica, NY -- Junior
Ben Winkler (Rodman, NY/IHC) tied Head Coach
Mike Parnell's single-game school record with eight goals, as the Utica College men's lacrosse team improved to 2-0, after an 18-10 victory over Cazenovia College at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Seven of Winkler's eight goals came in the first half of play. Sophomore
Joe Schoen (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) netted two goals and added two assists, while junior
Trent Thomas (Akwesasne, ONT/Massena) added three assists and one goal.
The Pioneers dominated the Wildcats (1-2) in the first 30 minutes of play as they jumped out o a 13-2 lead. UC scored
the first seven goals of the contest behind a strong start from Winkler, who tallied four goals in the first 9:18 of play.
Chris Gibbs (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro),
Joe Scully (Greenfield Center, NY/Saratoga Springs) and Schoen each tallied a first quarter goal to push UC to a 7-1 advantage. Scully's tally was the first of his collegiate career after suffering a season-ending injury in his freshman campaign.
Utica, which is now 7-0 all-time against Caz, opened up an 11-1 lead midway through the second quarter behind two goals from Winkler and one each from two-sport athlete
Alex Rukavena (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and classmate
TJ Benson (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore). Benson finished the day with two goals and he now ranks second on the team with six this season.
Winkler and Thomas each registered a goal before the half to help UC advance its lead to 13-2 at the intermission.
The Pioneers outscored the visitors 3-1 in the first 12:31 of the third quarter before the Wildcats made their late charge. Over the course of the final 17:14 of the contest Cazenovia was able to outscore the Pioneers 7-2 to make the game close, but it proved to be too late, as UC earned the eight goal victory.
Jamil Modaffari led the Wildcat charge with three goals and one assist, while Jevon Pakkala also recorded three goals and one assist. Goalie Pat Boyle chipped in with 15 saves for the Wildcats.
Utica secured a 43-14 advantage in ground balls behind a team-best six from
Greg Geiss (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee). Senior
Mick Krajacic (Clay, NY/Cicero North Syracuse) added four caused turnovers and four ground balls, while senior
Zachary Menapace (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) added four ground balls and also tallied one assist.
Geiss also registered three assists, while Gibbs added two of his own. 11 different Pioneers recorded at least one point on the afternoon. Senior goalie
Joe Davis (Vestal, NY/Vestal) made two saves in his second straight victory before being replaced at the half by
Wilson Mukrdechian (Watertown, NY/Watertown). Murkrdechian stopped seven shots in the second half, while surrendering eight goals.
The Pioneers will now hit the road for four consecutive contests beginning with a non conference game at Eastern University on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
--- www.ucpioneers.com ---
