Utica, NY- The Utica College men's lacrosse team will look to continue its momentum as it takes on Oswego State in a non-conference match up Wednesday. Face-off is set for 4 p.m. at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.

LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming off victories over Morrisville State College and Hartwick College…The non-conference victory over the Mustangs was a low scoring game that saw the Pioneers edge out a 5-4 victory…Patrick Mulligan (Commack, NY/Commack) tallied two goals and an assist, while Liam Wheatley (Rochester, NY/Webster Schroeder) scored a goal and had one assist… Matthew Miller (Geneva, NY/Geneva) and Zack Stevenson (Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge) also scored for the Pioneers… The conference match up against Hartwick College was a 9-4 victory for UC…Zack Stevenson (Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge) led the way with four goals, while Ryan Desveaux (Bowmanville, ONT/St. Stephen Catholic) and Mulligan added two goals and Wheatley added one goal.

UC SO FAR: The Pioneers hold a 4-2 overall record with a 1-0 conference mark heading into Wednesdays match up with Oswego State… Utica's only two losses on the year were to St. Lawrence and Hamilton College…Both teams were receiving votes in the USILA National Poll at the time of their victories over the Pioneers.

LEADING THE WAY: Senior Zack Stevenson (Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge) and junior Patrick Mulligan (Commack, NY/Commack) are currently leading the team in scoring… Stevenson has netted a team-best nine goals and 11 points, while Mulligan is second on the squad with 10 points (six goals, four assists). 

DISHING IT OUT: Junior Alex Finnegan (Bay Shore, NY/Islip) leads the team and is tied for eighth in the conference with 1.17 assists per game… He has also added two goals and scooped up 11 ground balls this season.

DEFENSE LEADS THE WAY: Utica is second in the conference with a 6.00 goals against average… The Pioneers have allowed just four goals in each of the last three games and UC is 4-0 when allowing four goals or fewer… Senior Tom Byrne (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) leads the team with 31 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers. 

DIORIO EARNS E8 WEEKLY HONORS: Senior Andrew DiOrio (Greenlawn, NY/CW Post) was named the Empire 8 Conference Goalie of the Week, Monday… DiOrio allowed just seven goals in the Pioneers' two games last week, both of which resulted in UC victories, including a win over Empire 8 rival Hartwick College… He currently leads the Empire 8 in goals against average amongst goalies who have played at least 60 minutes in net this season. 

HISTORY: The Pioneers have lost the last five games against the Lakers… Utica College's last victory over Oswego State was a 14-10 win at Gaetano Stadium in 2009.

MEETING THE LAKERS: The Lakers are currently 3-1 overall to start off the 2015 season… Oswego comes into the match up against Utica having lost its last game against St. John Fisher College, 9-4…The Lakers have 10 players that have scored at least one goal, led by freshman attacker/midfielder Luke Krizman with five goals and one assist… Oswego's leading assist man is senior attacker Cody Hoose with one goal and four assists… The Lakers rank second in the nation in goals against average (3.33).

NEXT UP: Following Wednesday's home match up the Pioneers remain home for a non-conference match up against SUNY Canton Saturday at 1 p.m. 


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