Utica, NY (10/1/14) – The Utica College men's soccer team travels to Hoboken, NJ Saturday afternoon for an Empire 8 Conference match up against Stevens Institute of Technology. The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA: If you can't make it out to the game make sure to follow live updates on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers… If you are at the game on Twitter, or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #UCMoose… You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers ... Or follow the Pioneers on Instagram: UCPioneers.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: In the last four seasons Utica has been knocked out of the Empire 8 Conference tournament twice, both losses came against Stevens … Last year the Ducks knocked out the Pioneers in the championship game of the conference tournament by the score of 2-0 and lost again 3-0 in the first round in 2010.

FINDING HIS STRIDE: Sophomore midfielder Raine Owens (Pine Plains, NY/Stissing Mt. ) scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Elmira College (9/27/14) … Owens has seen action in seven games and started in four … In the past two games Owens has put up four shots, with all of them on target, and has scored two goals.

RAKING IN THE ASSISTS: Freshman midfielder Bita Gazashvili (Tiblisi, Georgia) is once again leading the Empire 8 Conference in assists … With his assist against Elmira (9/27/14) he now has five on the season … Bita's fifth assist came in the 20^th minute when Raine Owens (Pine Plains, NY/Stissing Mt. ) finished on a rebound … Bita is third on team with seven points and scored his lone goal against Purchase College (8/30/14).

UNSUNG HERO: Sophomore defender Patrick Claffey (Burlington, CT/Lewis Mills) has now totaled 944 minutes on the pitch … He only trails David Abdou (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) by eight minutes for  the team lead … Claffey has started and played in all ten games this season … Claffey played a crucial role in helping secure three shutouts against Sage College (8/29/14), Purchase College (8/30/14), and Oswego State (9/13/14).

LAST TIME AGAINST STEVENS: UC traveled to Stevens last year (11/9/13) for a championship game match up in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament … The first Stevens goal came after Jonathon Peterson (Bedford, NH/New Hampton) picked up his second yellow in the 82^nd minute … Playing with only ten players the Pioneers couldn't keep up with the Ducks … Stevens scored another goal in the 88^th minute to secure the 2-0 victory.

SCOUTING THE DUCKS: Stevens has closed out September with a record of 6-3 overall … While at home the Ducks are 4-1 and have outscored opponents 13-3 … The Ducks have five shutouts on the season with three of them coming at home … Stevens is riding a four game winning streak and have not let in a goal during that stretch.

ALL TIME SERIES: The Pioneers are 0-9 against the Ducks dating back to 2008 when Stevens joined the Empire 8 as a full time member.

THE NEXT TIME OUT: After Saturday's game the Pioneers will travel to Skidmore College. The game is set to start at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.