(Left to Right) UC's Ben Winkler, Justin Edelstein and Adam Zielenski celebrate Winkler's game-winner against Fisher on Saturday
Utica, NY (4/29/13) – The Utica College men's lacrosse team is set to travel to top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 15 Nazareth College on Wednesday, May 1 for the first round of the conference tournament. The fourth seeded Pioneers will take on top-seeded Nazareth at 4 p.m.
Stamping the Books: The Pioneers set a program record for most wins in a single season (9) after they defeated visiting St. John Fisher College, 10-9, in double overtime on Saturday, at Gaetano Stadium ... The win also earned the Pioneers a berth in the conference tournament for the first time in program's 14 year history … Four regular season wins in the E8 is also a program-best for UC … The Pioneers finished the season with a conference ledger above .500 (4-3) for the first time in school history.
Career Records to Watch For: Senior
Ben Winkler (Rodman, NY/IHC) currently ranks third on the College's career scoring list with 155 points … Winkler needs just one goal tie Michael Bulger '07 for second on the College's all-time goals scored list, Winkler currently has 122 career goals … Junior
Joe Schoen (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) has 53 career assists and needs just one more to tie Matt Donaldson '05 for fourth on the College's career assist list … Winkler needs ten shots against Nazareth to set a new school-record for shots in a career (currently has 409 shots) … Winkler needs one more game played to break the school-record for games played in a career … He is currently tied with
Mick Krajacic (Clay, NY/Cicero North Syracuse) '12 with 61 career games played.
Team Records to Watch For: As a team, the Pioneers need 14 points to move into fourth place on the College's single season list for points in a single season … The 2013 edition of the Pioneers have attempted more shots (631) than any other team in program history … The Pioneers currently hold the school record for lowest goals against average in a single season (7.99 GAA).
Individual Records to Watch For: Joe Schoen (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) needs four assists to move into second place on the College's single season assist list, he currently has 25 …
Ben Winkler (Rodman, NY/IHC)'s 157 shots this season are a new school record … Winkler needs two man-up goals to tie Matt Donaldson '05 for second on the College's single season list, Winkler currently has ten man-up goals … UC freshman goalie
Trey Adams (Hogansburg, NY/Brewster Academy) holds the lowest goals against average (8.08) in a single season for any goalie with at least 240 minutes played.
The Parnell File: Head Coach
Mike Parnell is in his eighth season at the helm and he is the winningest coach in the history of the program with 49 victories … He also has 20 career victories in Empire 8 Conference play … Parnell is a 2002 graduate of Utica College where he was a founding member of the Pioneer lacrosse program … He currently holds the school record for most points and goals in a game after netting eight goals and tallying two assists against Susquehanna in 2000 … He ranks fourth on the college's all-time single season goal scoring list after finding the back of the net 33 times in 2000.
Toughest Conference in the Country?: The Empire 8 features three teams that are nationally-ranked or receiving votes in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) National Poll … Stevens is ranked 11th nationally, Nazareth is ranked 15th nationally and Ithaca is receiving votes ... In the other Empire 8 Conference Tournament Semifinal game second seeded Stevens will host third seeded Ithaca College at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Out in Front: UC leads its opponents in a handful of statistical categories this season including goals per game (11.13 vs. opp. 8.07), shots on goal percentage (.574 vs. opp. .566), shots per game (42.1 vs. opp. 32.6), and total assists (105 vs. opp. 65), to name a few.
Triple Threat: The Pioneers are led by seniors
Ben Winkler (Rodman, NY/IHC) and
Justin Edelstein (Hartsdale, NY/Harvey School) and freshman
Trent Jacobs (Akwesasne/Brewster Academy) … Winkler currently leads all Pioneers with 49 points off a team-high 39 goals to go along with 10 assists … His 39 goals rank him fourth in the Empire 8 … Winkler, who scored his 100th career goal with an overtime game-winning goal against Misericordia on Mar. 29, scored UCs double overtime goal against Fisher to send the Pioneers to the postseason … He has tallied a team-high 157 shots this year, good enough for third in the conference, and adds 17 groundballs on the year … Newcomer, Jacobs is currently second on the team with 36 points on 27 goals and nine assists … The freshman has also tallied 65 shots (45 on goal) and ten groundballs in his first year as a Pioneer … Edelstein rounds out UCs triple threat with 34 points on 28 goals and six assists … He has totaled 98 shots this season (45 on goal) and 19 groundballs.
Dishing it Out: Junior
Joe Schoen (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) leads the Pioneers this season with 25 assists, good enough for third in the Empire 8 … Schoen is currently tied for third all-time on the College's single season assists list … One of his 25 assists this season came on the pass to Winkler for the game-winning goal on Saturday.
Saving it All: Sophomore
Andrew DiOrio (Greenlawn, NY/CW Post) and freshman
Trey Adams (Hogansburg, NY/Brewster Academy) have split time in the net this season for UC … DiOrio has a record of 2-3 so far this season, he had six saves and allowed five goals in the Pioneers 10-9 win over Fisher before being relieved by Adams … Adams has 5-3 record between the pipes this season, with his most recent win coming against Fisher … He ranks second in the conference in save percentage (56.2%) and goals against average (8.08) and he ranks third in goals against with 64 … DiOrio rounds out in the Empire 8 in second place for goals against (55) and is fourth in save percentage (55.6%).
Scouting Naz: The 15th ranked Golden Flyers have an overall record of 12-4 this season with a 7-0 mark in conference play … They earned the number one seed in the conference tournament and the right to host … Heading into Wednesday's matchup, Nazareth is on a six game win streak … The Golden Flyers are led by freshman Luke Wooters and Troy Haefele … Wooters leads the team with 65 points off 49 goals and 16 assists … Haefele is second on the team in points with 56 on 38 goals and 18 assists.
All-Time vs. The Golden Flyers: UC is 1-10 dating back to 2003 against Nazareth … Their most recent meeting, on Mar. 27, the Pioneers fell 14-8 to The Golden Flyers … UCs one and only win came in 2008 when they defeated Naz, 11-9 at Gaetano Stadium.
Tickets: Tickets for the Empire 8 Conference Tournament will be $5 for adults and $3 for students with ID.
Quotes from the Post Game Press Conference after UC beat Fisher Saturday
Parnell on making it to the E8's for the first time ...
“It feels great, an opportunity for our team and our program to make it to the Empire 8 Tournament for the first time. It's a win by all of our team and all of our alumni – it's just amazing. Our guys work hard all year and I'm extremely proud. We grinded all day and we got the win in the end when we needed it.
Parnell on the game-winning goal …
“It's a play we practiced the first day in the Spring – we practice it every day. Now we had the opportunity to run it. In a tight spot you want the ball in Ben's (Winkler) stick and he took care of it. Joe (Schoen) had a nice feed and it worked perfect.“
Winkler on making to the Empire 8 Tournament …
“It's a good way to end the regular season. Getting the win and going to the E8's.”
Winkler discussing the game-winner ...
“We have a great quarterback, great leader, in
Joe Schoen (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro). It's pretty easy to do my job – all I had to do was slide out the back and Joey fed me the ball,” said Winkler of the game-winning pass by Schoen. “It was a great play, great call and great pass – and everyone knows how it ended up.”
Edelstein speaks of the experience of winning a double overtime thrill on senior day …
“This was just awesome. It was great to see all the people up in the stands, my family was there, walking through the tunnel with my sister and my mom – it was awesome.”
Edelstein on how the Pioneers prepared for today's game …
“We've been doing the same thing all year – today we stayed focused and we knew what we had to do.”
Edelstein discussing making the Empire 8 Tournament …
“It's unbelievable. This is something I've always wanted to do. This is what we talk about when we're together."
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