Utica has now won three of its last five meetings against Hartwick dating back to 2009
Box Score
Utica 10, Hartwick 6 - Men's Lacrosse Final
Oneonta, NY (4/3/2013) – The Utica College men's lacrosse team outscored host Hartwick College 5-1 in the second half on its way to a 10-6 Empire 8 Conference victory on Wednesday afternoon. The Pioneers have now won two in a row and improved to 5-3 overall all on the year while moving their record at 1-1 in the highly competitive Empire 8. UC has won three of the last five meetings against the Hawks dating back to 2009.
Utica senior
Ben Winkler (Rodman, NY/IHC) tied his season-high with four goals and he currently leads the team with 26 points (21 goals, five assists). Senior
Justin Edelstein (Hartsdale, NY/Harvey School) and sophomore
Zack Stevenson (Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge) each added two goals for the Pioneers, while junior
Joe Schoen (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) chipped in with one goal and two assists. Schoen's 15 assists this season rank sixth in the Empire 8 and also leads the team.
The first half was a back and forth battle which saw the Pioneers take a 3-2 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the hosts answered right back by outscoring UC 3-2 in the second quarter to knot the score at 5-5 at the halftime intermission. Utica jumped out to a 3-1 advantage after Edelstein netted his 14th goal of the year with 4:04 left in the first quarter, but the Hawks answered with three consecutive tallies to take a 4-3 lead with 10:12 left in the second quarter. Winkler and Schoen then added a goal each in less than two minutes to push the Pioneers ahead, 5-4, with 3:14 left in the first half. 'Wick's Harry Hughes, who finished the day with a team-best three goals, was able to tie the score before the half with his 29th tally of the season (1:03 to left in the half).
The second half proved to be all UC as the Pioneers scored the first three goals of the third quarter to take an 8-5 lead. Edelstein,
Trent Jacobs (Akwesasne/Brewster Academy) and Winkler scored the Pioneers' go-ahead goals. Hughes was able to secure his third goal of the game early in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough as Winkler and Stevenson netted goals down the stretch to secure the first conference victory of the season for UC.
It was a physical contest that included 24 penalties (12 for each team), seven man-up goals (Hartwick: 4, Utica: 3) and one man-down score by the Hawks. UC outshot the home squad 37-31 on the day and the Pioneers also earned a 25-23 advantage in the ground ball category. Each team won ten face-offs and the Pioneers won the turnover battle, 19-12.
Utica goalie
Andrew DiOrio (Greenlawn, NY/CW Post) made seven saves as Hartwick's Carl Lengel stopped 11 shots in net. UC sophomore defender
Tom Byrne (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) scooped up a game-high eight ground balls, caused four turnovers and chipped in with one assist. Byrne leads the team with 42 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers this year.
Freshman
Trent Jacobs (Akwesasne/Brewster Academy) netted one goal and added one assist for the Pioneers, while classmate
Corey Thompson (Akwesasne/Salmon River) also added an assist for UC.
Dan Duffy (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) caused three turnovers for the Pioneers and
Zack Stevenson (Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge) registered four ground balls. Utica is now 3-1 on the road this season.
Hartwick (4-5, 0-2 E8) scored five of its six goals in the first half. Zach Gropper totaled three points for the Hawks on two goals and one assist. Five of Hartwick's six goals came from Hughes and Gropper. The Hawks still hold a 9-4 advantage over the Pioneers in 13 previous meetings.
UC returns to action against Empire 8 foe Alfred University Saturday back at the friendly confines of Charles A. Gaetano Stadium (1 p.m.).
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