Utica, NY (10/23/14) – The Utica College men's soccer team faces a must win conference game against St. John Fisher College in order to improve its chances of qualifying for the Empire 8 Tournament. The game will be held at Charles A. Geatano Stadium on Saturday at 4 p.m.
STILL IN THE HUNT: UC is still in the hunt for the final spot in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament with a record of 2-3 in E8 play… As of right now, the Pioneers are in a three way tie with Nazareth and St. John Fisher for fourth place, with only two conference games remaining on the regular season schedule.
RECENT RECORD VS ST. JOHN FISHER: The Pioneers were able to shut out Fisher in their last meeting by the score of 3-0 ... In the last ten years the Pioneers are 4-8 against the Cardinals ... Six of the 12 meetings have been decided by one goal.
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers earned a non-conference win at SUNY Canton in overtime by the score of 1-0 on Wednesday … Senior
Chris Stashko (Apalachin, NY/Apalachin) netted the game-winner, from freshman
Gustaf Petersen (Stockholm, Sweden/Blackebergs), in the 94
th minute of play.
BACK TO WINNING: The Pioneers snapped a five game winless streak as they came away with their first overtime win of the season on Wednesday at Canton … UC advanced it's record to 5-7-3 overall.
ADBOU MAKING THE STOP: Senior goalie
David Abdou (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) posted a career-high 13 saves while picking up his fifth win of the season against SUNY Canton on Wednesday night … Abdou holds a 1.33 goals against average to go along with a .809 save percentage … For his efforts in goal, Abdou leads the Empire 8 in saves and his goals against average ranks third in the conference.
STASHKO MOVING UP:
Chris Stashko (Apalachin, NY/Apalachin) now has a career-high 10 points (three goals, four assists) on the season and he has 20 career points (five goals and 10 assists) over 63 career games at Utica.
RUFFING LEADING THE WAY: Senior
Shane Ruffing (Rochester, NY/Westborough) leads the Pioneers in points (20), goals (nine), and shots on goal (25)… Ruffing leads the Empire 8 in goals and ranks third in points.
MEET ST. JOHN FISHER: The Cardinals are coming off a 1-0 conference loss to Ithaca College, leaving them with a record of 4-9-1 overall and 2-3 in the conference…St. John Fisher is led by Chris Ferrara and Mike Lynch, who have four points apiece.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers will travel to Plattsburg State to take on the Cardinals in non-conference play on Wednesday, October 29 … Game time is set for 4 p.m.
