Box Score
Utica 1, Nazareth 0 - Men's Soccer Final

Click to view McAllister's Game-Winner & Post-Game Comments on YouTube

Utica, NY (9/21/2013) – Senior captain Kevin McAllister (Boxford, MA/Masconomet Regional) netted his team best third goal of the season in the 18th minute and that's all the Utica College men's soccer team would need to defeat visiting Nazareth College, 1-0, in the Empire 8 Conference opener for both squads at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Saturday night.  The win marks the first time since 2007 that the Pioneers (3-4, 1-0 Empire 8) have been able to get the better of Nazareth (3-4, 0-1 Empire 8). 

"The last couple year's we've started out with a loss in the conference and we've had to play catch up.  It was a great time to get our first conference win," said McAllister in a post-game interview. "The E8 is a really tough conference every year with different teams coming in the top four so starting off with a win is huge for us and hopefully this time we can stay out on top. "

McAllister's goal was a pretty one, started by classmate Jonathon Peterson (Bedford, NH/New Hampton), who found a streaking Shane Ruffing (Rochester, NY/Westborough). Ruffing then touched the ball up into the air and it came down right on the foot of McAllister. With a defender on his hip, McAllister one-timed a low shot into the lower left corner of the net past Naz goalie Nate Ripic.  McAllister now has 54 career points, good for second all-time at UC, on 21 goals and 12 assists. 

Click the thumbnail below to view McAllister's Game-Winner:

UC senior goalie Anthony Caruso (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow), who recently recorded his 200th career save, registered his first shutout of the season and he now has 15 for his career.  It was Caruso's school-record 33rd career victory. Caruso made two particularly spectacular saves to secure the shut out and he totaled four saves total on the afternoon. 

"The conference win is huge, we have a really tough out of conference schedule and coach does that to prepare us for these conference games," said McAllister. "It was a really good team effort by everyone tonight and I can't say enough about the job the defense did tonight to preserve the shutout against a good conference opponent."

The Utica defense fended off four Naz corners in the second half, including one with less than a minute to go in the contest.  Naz outshout the Pioneers 11-5 on the afternoon and held UC shot-less in the final 45 minutes of the game.  Naz goalie Nate Ripic tallied one save in the loss.

Nine of the last 13 games between these two teams have been decided by one goal. 

The Pioneers return to the pitch on Tuesday night when they host Plattsburgh State in the final game of a three game home stand at 7 p.m.