UTICA, NY – The Utica College football team rallied from a 17 point third quarter deficit and outscored visiting Hartwick College 18-7 in the final 17:01 of action, but it was not enough, as the Pioneers fell to the Hawks 45-39 in their Empire 8 Conference season finale on Saturday at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.   

Senior receiver Gregory Palmer (Richland, NY/APW) caught ten balls for 129 yards and three touchdowns in his final collegiate game while junior running back Nicodemus Gambill (Rochester, NY/East High) added 13 carries for a career-high 135 yards, including a 72 yard touchdown run in the second quarter. 

The Pioneers wrap up their 2015 campaign with a 4-6 overall record and a 3-5 mark in Empire 8 play.  Hartwick also finished its season 4-6 overall and 2-6 in the conference.  As a team the Pioneers finished the year ranked third on the College's single season list with 1,336 rushing yards and third with 2,762 passing yards.  UC finished with the second most yards of total offense (4,098) in program-history.  The Pioneer defense also tied the school-record with 15 interceptions this season and their 34.0 sacks is a new school-record.

Utica quarterback Teddy VanGalen (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) finished the day with 25 completions for 286 yards and four touchdown passes. He now ranks fourth on the College's all-time list with 2,735 career passing yards. His 208 completions this season rank sixth all-time at UC and he is just the third player in program-history to complete over 200 passes in a single season. His 2,662 yards passing this year ranks second all-time at Utica. 

The Pioneers fell into an early 14-0 hole after Hartwick quarterback John Garcia connected on two touchdown passes to Brad Garcia and Tanner Williams in the first 15 minutes of the contest.

Utica answered when tight end Peter Mueller (Yorktown Heights, NY/Somers ) caught a five yard touchdown pass from VanGalen, to make the score 14-7 with 9:56 to go in the first half of paly. Mueller finished the day with four catches for 35 yards.

The Hawks answered with a 14 yard touchdown run by Tito Prichard with 4:21 to go in the first half. But exactly one minute later Nicodemus Gambill (Rochester, NY/East High), a two-sport athlete and an NCAA qualifier as a sprinter on Utica's track and field team, broke loose for a career-long 72 yard rushing touchdown to make it a 21-14 ball game. 

Utica then tied it up at 21-21 when Palmer caught his first touchdown of the day just 22 seconds later. Palmer's touchdown was set up by a forced fumble from UC linebacker Derrick Sekuterski (Depew, NY/Depew) on Hartwick's first play of the ensuing drive, recovered and returned 29 yards by Joe Castellitto (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac).

The Hawks would not go down easy as Tito Prichardo scored his second of four touchdowns on the day on a five yard touchdown pass by John Garcia with 12 seconds left in the first half of play.

Hartwick scored the first two touchdowns of the second half to take a commanding 38-21 lead with 5:55 to go in the third quarter.

Utica scored three of the game's final four touchdowns, including a 12 yard touchdown run by senior Mike Cottle (Windsor, CT/South Windsor) with 10:28 to go in regulation, but the Pioneers were held scoreless in the final ten minutes in the six point loss.

Palmer's three touchdown day is tied for the second most in a single game in program-history as he moved him into a tie for fourth on the College's all-time list with 12 career touchdown catches.  Palmer wraps up his career ranked seventh on the College's all-time list with 1,329 career receiving yards. He also cracked the top ten in receptions as he finished his career with 81, good for ninth all-time at UC.  His 883 yards receiving this year ranks third all-time at UC for a single season and his seven touchdown catches this season are tied for second all-time.

Senior Alex DeRusso (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) caught five balls on the day for 79 yards. DeRusso is not far behind Palmer, as he ranks tenth on the College's all-time list with 1,183 career receiving yards. DeRusso's 861 yards receiving this season ranks sixth all-time at Utica for a single season.

Linebacker Juwan Wilson (South Ozone Park, NY/Holy Cross) capped his junior season with another impressive 14 tackle performance. Wilson heads into his senior season ranked fourth all-time at UC with 237 career tackles.  His 117 tackles this season rank fourth on the College's all-time single season list, just six shy of Anthony Venturino's school-record of 123 set back in 2004. 

Senior Mike Sullivan (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) led all tacklers with 15 on the day, while defensive end Nick Woodman (Utica, NY/Proctor) added ten tackles and 2.0 sacks. Woodman will graduate as the College's all-time leader with 29.5 career sacks.  He broke his own school-record this year as he finished the season with 13.0 sacks. Sullivan added an interception on the day and wraps up his four year career with 187 tackles, including a career-high 81 this season.

Sophomore corner Matthew McCoy (Sherrill, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill) picked off two passes on the day while Chance Harris (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) added one interception and three pass break ups. McCoy has moved into a tie for fourth on the College's all-time list with six career interceptions.  His five interceptions this season led the team and are tied for third on the College's all-time single season list. Chance Harris (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta)'s nine pass break ups this year ranks third on the College's all-time single season list.

Utica kicker and punter Thomas Woodburn (West Islip, NY/West Islip) was forced to punt four times for 111 yards, including two inside the 20 yard line on the day.  He was held without a field goal for the first time all season.  Woodburn will graduate as the College's all-time leading scorer with 232 career points, as he became the first player in program-history to record over 200 points in a career. Woodburn is also the College's all-time leader with 41 career field goals. His 41 field goals are good enough for 18^th all-time in the NCAA Division III record books. His 90 points this season tied the program's single season record. His 22 field goals this season tied for second in the NCAA Division III single season record book.

Junior Jerred Beniquez (Port Ewen, NY/Kingston) missed the final two games of the season due to injury, but heads into his senior season ranked eighth on the all-time list with 1,255 career receiving yards. Beniquez currently ranks seventh all-time at UC with 120 career receptions. Beniquez's 55 catches this year is tie4d for fifth all-time on the College's single season list.