Utica, NY (4/26/13) – The Utica College women's lacrosse team heads to Hoboken, NJ Saturday for a key Empire 8 matchup set to begin at 11 a.m. … The Pioneers need to score four plus goals more than host Stevens Institute of technology to secure a bid to the postseason for the first time since 2006 … UC is currently 9-5 overall with a 2-4 mark in conference play as its heads into the final game of the regular season.

Record Stamping Year: The Pioneers started their season punching a mark in the record books after their best start in program-history (6-1) and now they've added another mark … UCs victory over Keuka College marked its ninth win this season, good enough for the most wins in a single-season in program-history … The Pioneers will be looking to extend their record book season by earning a bid to the tournament for the first time in seven years.

Out in Front: UC is leading its opponents in at least half a dozen statistical categories this season … The Pioneers lead in goals per game (11.36 vs. opp. 7.0), shot percentage (.399 vs. opp. .359), shots per game (28.4 vs. opp. 19.5), assists (73 vs. opp. 32), total goals (159 vs. opp. 98) and clear percentage (.794 vs. opp.594).

Leading the Way:  Sophomores Morgan DuPont (Wynantskill, NY/Averill Park) and Megan Kane (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) are out in front for the Pioneers heading into their final regular season game … DuPont has a team-high 45 points on 24 goals including a team-best 21 assists … She has also scooped up 18 groundballs and has 13 caused turnovers this season … Kane isn't far behind, sitting in second with 41 points on a team-high 38 goals to go along with three assists … She also leads the team in caused turnovers (22) and is a close second in groundballs, snagging 39 so far this year …  Freshman Courtney Wheeler (Ava, NY/Rome Free Academy) rounds out the top three spots with 37 points off of 21 goals and 16 assists … The newcomer sits in third with 31 groundballs to go along with 15 caused turnovers.

Safety Net: Senior Stephanie Belanger (Lewiston, ME/Lewiston) has compiled a team-best 40 groundballs to go along with 14 caused turnovers … In 14 games this season, she has compiled a 9-5 record in net while first in n the conference in goals-against average (7.03), second in save percentage (51%), fourth in saves (101) and fifth in goals against (97).

Conference and National Attention: Three different Pioneers are ranked in the top five of different statistical categories in the Empire 8 … Kane sits in fifth for total goals (38), while classmate DuPont snagged the fourth place slot in assists (21) … Belanger rounds out the conference rankings with a first place mark in goals against average (7.03), second in save percentage (51%), fourth in total saves (101) and fifth in goals against with 97 … On the national level, UC is ranked 8th in caused turnovers per game (12.23) and 17th in scoring defense, only allowing an average of 7.23 goals per game … Belanger is also ranked in the top 25 nationally for goals against average (12th) and save percentage (21st).

Scouting Stevens: The Ducks, currently on a three game slide, are led by senior Spencer Waybright and junior Kara Rafferty ... Waybright has a team and league-high 72 points this season off 46 goals and a league-best 26 assists … She also sits second in the conference, behind Rafferty, in total shots (93) ... Rafferty is second on the team and in the league with 67 points on a league-best 51 goals to go along with 16 assists ... She has a team-high 52 draw controls and leads the league in total shots with 130 … The Ducks are backed by senior goaltender Meg Collins who ranks first in the conference with 114 saves and has compiled a 46.5 save percentage, good enough for fourth in the E8.

All-Time vs. the Ducks: The Pioneers and Ducks have met five times dating back to 2008 … UC is 0-5 against Stevens in that five game spread, losing by an average of nine goals in all five matches.

Looking Ahead:  Pending a win over Stevens by four plus goals, the Pioneers would either travel to Ithaca or Fisher for the postseason.