Utica, NY (10/30/14) – The Utica College men's soccer team will host a must win game at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Saturday afternoon as the Pioneers take on Empire 8 foe, Alfred University.  Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.

THE SCENARIOS: There are three scenarios for Utica to get into the Empire 8 Conference Tournament … Number one, if Utica beats Alfred and Nazareth beats Ithaca they both finish 4-3 … This gives Naz the number three seed and UC will get the fourth, based on Naz beating UC head to head … Number two, if Utica beats Alfred and Nazareth loses to Ithaca, then UC will be the third seed and Alfred will be the fourth … Number three, If Utica beats Alfred and Nazareth ties with Ithaca, then UC will be the third seed and Alfred will be the fourth … If Utica wins the Pioneers are in... Stevens Institute of Technology has already secured the regular season title and hosting rights of the tournament, which will take place next weekend. 

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 ... Fans can also follow the Pioneers on Instagram: UCPioneers.

LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers lost to host Plattsburgh 5-1 … The Cardinals used the first half to score four goals on freshman goalie Matthew Milograno (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) … David Abdou (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) started the second half and conceded one goal while making five stops … Anthony Fotino (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) scored late in half to spoil Plattsburgh's chances of a shutout.

STEPPING UP: Senior Anthony Fotino (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) and sophomore Matt Beljan (Bedminster, PA/Christopher Dock) have raised their level of play the past couple games … Fotino and Beljan have combined to score the last two of three goals for Utica … In that span UC is 1-1 with a shutout win over St. John Fisher.

E8 LEADERS: Senior Shane Ruffing (Rochester, NY/Westborough) racked up his tenth goal on the season against St. John Fisher … His ten goals leads all of the Empire 8 Conference … Freshman Bita Gazashvili (Tiblisi, Georgia) leads the Empire 8 with six assists and has two goals on the season … David Abdou (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) has turned in his 100^th save of the season … He currently leads all goalies in the Conference by twelve saves.

STANDOUT SENIOR: Chris Stashko (Apalachin, NY/Apalachin) scored his third goal of the season in an upset shutout over SUNY Canton … The senior has also racked up four assists on the season … He is second on the team in points.

LAST TIME AGAINST ALFRED: The Pioneers shutout the Saxons 1-0 last year (10/26/13) … Current Pioneer Shane Ruffing (Rochester, NY/Westborough) scored in the opening minutes to help lift UC over Alfred … Alfred outshot UC 19-11.

SCOUTING THE SAXONS: Alfred is 9-6-2 overall and 2-4-1 on the road … The Saxons are coming off a 4-0 loss to Stevens Institute snapping their three game winning streak … They are led by Jeff Thomas with seven goals and Richard Lander who has four assists.



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