UTICA, NY – The Utica College men's lacrosse team lost to visiting Alfred University 9-8 in Empire 8 Conference action at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Saturday afternoon. UC's Patrick Mulligan (Commack, NY/Commack) made it a one goal game, 9-8, with 50 seconds left in regulation when he scored his 11^th goal of the season but the late rally fell short as the Saxons won the ensuing faceoff and came away with the one goal victory.

Alex Finnegan (Bay Shore, NY/Islip) netted two goals and added one assist while Matthew Miller (Geneva, NY/Geneva) totaled four points on one goal and a career-high three assists to pace the Pioneers. Jake Lynch and Nicolas Wood each posted three goals for Alfred.

The Pioneers are now 6-6 overall and 1-3 in the Empire 8.  Alfred has now won four in a row and improved to 11-1 overall and 4-1 in Empire 8 action.

Utica jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first 8:41 of action behind goals from Codey Staulters (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) and Zack Stevenson (Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge).  Staulters now has two goals for Utica this season and Stevenson leads the team with 16. 

Alfred responded with three consecutive goals to take a 4-2 lead with 14:16 left in the first half of play.

UC's Alex Finnegan (Bay Shore, NY/Islip) added his first of the day with 8:55 to go in the first half and the score was set at 4-3 in favor of the visitors as the halftime horn sounded. Miller assisted Finnegan on the Pioneers' third goal of the game.

UC outscored Alfred 3-2 in the third quarter to tie the score at 6-6 headed into the final 15 minutes of regulation. Finnegan, senior long stick Tom Byrne (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) and Brickman House (Oneida, WI/Pulaski) each registered a third quarter goal for Utica.  House's game-tying goal made the score 6-6 with 1:36 to go in the third quarter.

Alfred punched in three straight goals to open the fourth and final quarter of action.  All three of the Saxon's fourth quarter goals came in a span of 4:32 as they took a 9-6 lead with 4:51 left in regulation.

Miller and Mulligan each scored a goal in the closing minutes of the contest for Utica but it proved to be too late as the Saxons held on for the one goal victory.

Alfred was a perfect 6-for-6 on face-off opportunities in the fourth quarter and earned a 12 to 9 advantage over the Pioneers at the face off X on the day.

Utica's Tom Byrne (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) scooped up a game-high seven ground balls and he also added four caused turnovers. Senior goalie Andrew DiOrio (Greenlawn, NY/CW Post) came away with 15 saves, three ground balls and two caused turnovers for the Pioneers.

Drew Gardner stopped 10 shots in net for the Saxons.

Utica returns to action in Hoboken, NJ on Wednesday when the Pioneers travel to take on Stevens Institute of Technology in Empire 8 Conference action at 4 p.m