Utica, NY (9/3/2013) – The Utica College men's soccer team is set to host its season-opener against SUNYIT on the turf at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium on Wednesday evening (7 p.m.). The Pioneers (0-2) hope to snap a two-game season-opening slide after losses to defending national champion and nationally ranked No. 1 Messiah as well as Franklin & Marshall in Pennsylvania last weekend.
Local Rivalry
The Pioneers are 9-1 against the Wildcats of SUNYIT dating back to 2003 … UC has shut out SUNYIT in six of those ten meetings … Their only loss in the last ten meetings was a 2-1 defeat in 2006 … The Pioneers have outscored the Wildcats 24-5 in the last ten meetings.Â
Home Sweet Home
The Pioneers played particularly well at home last season, posting a 7-1-2 record at the friendly confines of Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. Conversely, UC needs to play tougher on the road if they plan on reaching double digits in the win column this year (1-7 on the road last season, 0-2 this season).
Pioneers Put a Scare in the National Champs
Senior forward
Jonathon Peterson (Bedford, NH/New Hampton) netted a goal 1:04 into the game to put a scare into defending national champion and nationally-ranked No. 1 Messiah College, but the Falcons answered right back in the fourth minute, and netted the game-winner in the 72nd minute to top the visiting Pioneers 2-1 in the season opener for both squads on Friday night … Messiah did not trail in a single game throughout the entire 2012 season.Â
What to Watch For
Senior's
Kevin McAllister (Boxford, MA/Masconomet Regional) and
Jonathon Peterson (Bedford, NH/New Hampton) continue to jockey for second place on the College's all-time scoring list behind Evan Dufault '07 … Peterson currently sits in second place with 51 career points (19 goals, 13 assists), while McAllister is in third with 47 points (18 goals, 11 assists) … Dufault graduated in 2007 as the College's all-time leading scorer with 74 career points on 26 goals and 22 assists … Peterson's 19 goals also ranks second all-time.Â
Turning the Corner
The Pioneers were presented with just two corner kick opportunities in their first two games, a stat that Coach Watson would like to see increased as the season progresses.
Scouting SUNYIT
SUNYIT heads into Wednesday night's contest undefeated with a 1-0-1 overall record … The Wildcats tied in their season-opener, 2-2, against host Sage … The following night they defeated Hilbert College handily by the score of 3-0 … Senior Diego Montaleza will be a key target for
Chris Perkins (Charlton, MA/Saint John's of Shrewsbury) and the Pioneers' defensive unit … Montaleza has scored four of the Wildcats' five goals this season … Senior goalie Malick Faye has been stellar in net so far this, allowing just two goals while making eight saves in two starts.
Next Time Out
The Pioneers turn right back around on Saturday to take on visiting Baruch College at 6 p.m. on the turf at Gaetano.Â
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