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UTICA University Pioneers

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Utica University Athletics

Bita Gazashvili
Jeff Pexton - Perfect Game Imaging
2
Utica College UTICA (4-5-3)
2
Skidmore College SKIDMORE (6-4-2)
Utica College UTICA
(4-5-3)
2
Final
2
Skidmore College SKIDMORE
(6-4-2)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 OT 2 F
Utica College UTICA 2 0 0 0 2
Skidmore College SKIDMORE 1 1 0 0 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

UC Earns Hard Fought Tie at Skidmore

Saratoga Springs, NY – The Utica College men's soccer team earned a hard fought 2-2 double overtime tie against host Skidmore College on Tuesday night. Trailing 1-0 early in the contest, Utica's Shane Ruffing (Rochester, NY/Westborough) and Bita Gazashvili (Tiblisi, Georgia) each scored a goal in a span of 18:17 to push the Pioneers to a 2-1 advantage in the 25th minute. Skidmore rallied and tied the game midway through the second half and both teams were held scoreless through two overtime frames as the contest ended in a 2-2 tie.

The Pioneers snapped a two game winless streak, to close out their four game road trip, before returning home on Saturday to take on Ithaca College (2-6-2, 2-1 Empire 8) in a key Empire 8 Conference match up at 4 p.m. The Pioneers are now 4-5-3 overall, but more importantly their record in conference play stands at 2-1, which is good for a second place tie in the conference standings with Alfred and Ithaca.

Skidmore, who recently defeated traditional national power Williams College, moved its record to 6-4-2 on the season.

The Pioneers found themselves in an early 1-0 hole Tuesday night after Tim Sullivan netted his second goal of the season just 35 seconds into the game.

Utica responded and knotted the game at 1-1 when Ruffing netted his conference-best ninth goal of the season after a through ball from Gazashvili. Ruffing finished the goal into the left corner past Skidmore goalie Eli Kisselbach. Kisselbach finished the night with four saves for the Thoroughbreds.

The Pioneers took a 2-1 advantage when Gazashvili netted his second goal of the season, off his own rebound from eight yards out, to give UC momentum in the 25th minute of the contest. Gazashvili, a freshman, currently ranks second on the team with 10 points (two goals, six assists).

Skidmore knotted the score at 2-2 when Brock Bakewell netted his fifth goal of the season, off an assist from Sullivan, at 63:15.

Utica goalie David Abdou (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) stopped a career-high nine shots to help preserve the tie through two overtime periods. Skidmore outshot the Pioneers 33-11 on the afternoon and also earned an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks. The Thoroughbreds outshot Utica 7-1 over the course of 20 minutes of extra time.
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