Utica, NY – The Utica College men's soccer team (4-5-3, 2-1 Empire 8) returns to Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Saturday after four straight road games to host the Ithaca College Bombers in Empire 8 Conference action. The game is set to start at 4 p.m.
 
PIONEERS ALL-ACCESS: If you can't make it out to Utica to watch the game in person, Pioneers All-Access is the place to be on game day, providing live video, audio (WPNR 90.7 FM) and stats for all UC home games on the turf … Pioneers All-Access is a completely FREE service provided for those members of the Pioneer nation that might not be able to make it out to the game … Recent stories and social media are fully integrated into the Pioneers All-Access site for the most comprehensive viewing experience …  Make sure to check out Pioneers All-Access at www.ucpioneers.com/watch.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Utica traveled to Saratoga Springs on Tuesday afternoon and played host Skidmore College to a 2-2 tie ... Senior Shane Ruffing (Rochester, NY/Westborough) and freshman Bita Gazashvili (Tiblisi, Georgia) each scored a goal in the first half to take a 2-1 lead heading into the second frame… Skidmore tied the game in the second half and both teams were held scoreless the rest of the way … The tie snapped a two game losing streak for the Pioneers … Skidmore recently defeated traditional national power Williams College and currently owns a 6-4-2 overall record … Utica goalie David Abdou (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) recorded nine saves, which is his new career high.
 
DISHING IT OUT: Freshman midfielder Bita Gazashvili (Tiblisi, Georgia) leads the Empire 8 Conference in assists … With his helper against Skidmore he now has six on the season … Gazashvili is second on the team in total shots (23) and points (10).

IRON MAN: Sophomore defender Patrick Claffey (Burlington, CT/Lewis Mills) has now totaled 1144 minutes on the pitch and freshman midfielder Ricky Drake (Clifton Park, NY/Catholic Central) has 1059 minutes of playing time … Claffey only trails senior goalkeeper David Abdou (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) by eight minutes for the team lead … Abdou, Claffey and Drake are the only Pioneers with over 1,000 minutes on the pitch so far this season … Claffey has started all 12 games this season, while Drake has started in nine of the 12 games he has played … Claffey and Drake have both  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).

STANDING TALL: Senior forward Shane Ruffing (Rochester, NY/Westborough) towers above his peers on the pitch (6-foot-6) and on the conference leaderboards … Ruffing leads the Empire 8 with nine goals and 20 total points… He also ranks fourth in program history 46 career points (20 g, 6 a).

CONFERENCE RANKINGS: Led by freshman Bita Gazashvili (Tiblisi, Georgia), Utica leads all teams in the conference in total assists (15)… The Pioneers rank second in total points (49) and save percentage .775… Utica also ranks third in total goals (17).

SCOUTING THE BOMBERS: Ithaca College (2-6-2, 2-1-0 Empire 8) is tied with Utica and Alfred for second place in the conference standings … The Bombers last played on Tuesday, losing to Hamilton College 1-0 in Clinton, NY … Goalie Jordan Gentile recorded four saves in the contest … Sean Forward is the reigning Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week for his performance last week … Forward leads the Bombers with three goals and seven points this season … Casey Williamson is second on the team with six points (three goals, no assists) … Gentile has started all 10 games for the Bombers, allowing 2.02 goals per game and enters this weekend's matchup with a .706 save percentage.
 
 LAST TIME AGAINST ITHACA: Utica went 1-1 against Ithaca last season… In their regular season meeting, the Pioneers fell 4-1 at Ithaca on Oct. 19… Sophomore Greg Silvestro (West Sayville, NY/Connetquot) scored the lone goal for UC… The Pioneers avenged their loss with a 2-0 win in the Empire 8 Conference semifinals punching Utica's ticket to its first ever conference championship game.
 
ALL TIME SERIES: The Pioneers are 3-3 against Ithaca since 2009, with the home team winning each game… Two of the Pioneers' losses came by one goal.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: After this weekend's game the Pioneers will hit the road during Homecoming Weekend for an Empire 8 Conference matchup against Nazareth College … The game is set to start at 1 p.m. next Saturday.