Utica, NY (3/14/14)- The Utica College men's lacrosse team looks to bounce back Saturday as it travels to Kean University to take on the Cougars.  Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers suffered a heartbreaking loss to local rival Hamilton College, 10-9, in the third installment of the Contineer Cup on Tuesday… UC rallied from a five-goal deficit and made it a one goal game with 13 seconds left, but the comeback bid fell just short… Ross Cree (Akwesasne/Salmon River ), Trent Jacobs (Akwesasne/Brewster Academy), and Zack Stevenson (Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge) each had two goals, while Christian Reiller (Salamanca, NY/Genesee CC) had a game-high four assists… TJ Benson (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore), David Craig (Brewerton, NY/Paul V. Moore), and Andrew Jamieson (Six Nations, ON/Hagersville) also scored for UC and Andrew DiOrio (Greenlawn, NY/CW Post) had nine saves in net. 

JACOBS LEADING THE WAY: Sophomore Trent Jacobs (Akwesasne/Brewster Academy) leads the team with eight goals and 11 points… Last Saturday, he scored a career-high six points (four goals, two assists) in a 16-6 win over Manhattanville… His 2.67 goals per game rank fourth in the conference and he is also tied for fifth in the E8 with 3.67 points per game. 

BYRNE DOING HIS THING: Sophomore Tom Byrne (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) is picking up right where he left off last year as a force on the defensive side of the ball … After three games, he leads the team in caused turnovers (10) and ground balls (10) … Last season, Byrne was on the Empire 8 All-Conference Second Team as a long stick midfielder and was second in the conference in caused turnovers (36).

DOMINATING 3rd QUARTERS: The Pioneers have come out fast after halftime in the third quarter … This season in the third frame, UC has outscored its opponents 17-7 and have outshot them 43-17 … In their season opening win, the Pioneers outscored SUNYIT 7-1 in the third to leave no doubt of the final result and a big third quarter sparked an almost comeback against Hamilton.

DIORIO THE MAIN STOPPER: Junior Andrew DiOrio (Greenlawn, NY/CW Post) looks to be the official starting goalie for UC after playing in the Pioneer's first tough contest of the season against Hamilton … DiOrio also started in the win against Manhattanville before leaving after the third quarter when UC was up 14-5 … Last season he split time in net with Trey Adams (Hogansburg, NY/Brewster Academy) and played in nine games … He finished the season with a .559 save percentage and let in 60 goals.

SCOUTING KEAN COLLEGE: The Cougars are currently 4-1 overall and the last time out they beat Marymount University 10-3 … They are led by two players Richard Cheifitz and Matt Speciale who have 42% of the team's points (23 goals, six assists) … This will be the first-ever meeting between the Cougars and the Pioneers.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers will return home next week as they host Castleton State on Wednesday… Game time is set for 4 p.m.


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