UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's lacrosse team returns home Wednesday to face off against Empire 8 foe Ithaca College. Game time at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming off a split last weekend as they defeated Elmira 20-11 on Saturday before falling to St. John Fisher 16-5 Sunday afternoon... Freshman Brooke Miller (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) led the team this past weekend as she posted nine points; eight points against Elmira and one point against Fisher... Senior sisters Megan Kane (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) and Patricia Kane (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) chipped in with three goals each against Elmira, and a combined three goals against Fisher.

PLAYOFF OUTLOOK: Stevens, Nazareth, and St. John Fisher have all locked up a place in the Empire 8 Tournament… The final spot will come down to Ithaca or Utica… The Pioneers must win their next two games (against Ithaca and Houghton) to clinch a spot in the E8 Tournament for the first time since 2006.

DEFENSIVE MINDED: The Utica College defense ranks second in the conference in goals against, allowing only 113 so far this season... The team ranks second in the conference in ground balls per game with 22.69 and first in the E8 in caused turnovers per game with 10.92... Megan Kane (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) leads the Utica defense and the conference in ground balls per game with 4.38, Kane also leads the team and is second in the conference in caused turnovers per game with 2.31… Kane also ranks 23rd nationally with 4.38 ground balls per game.

FRESHMAN LEADER: Freshman attacker Brooke Miller (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was named the College's Female Athlete of the Week after her stand out performance in the team's two games this past weekend… Miller recorded a season and team-high eight points (seven goals, one assist) Saturday in Utica's 20-11 win over Empire 8 foe Elmira College… She is now tied for third on the team with 23 goals and is fourth in overall points (28)... In the conference Miller is tied for first with Elizabeth Westwood of Houghton in scoring amongst freshmen... She has also recorded at least one point in 11 of the team's 13 games so far this season.

HOT OFFENSE: The Pioneer offense ranks third in the conference in goals per game with 12.31… Seven players have over 13 points so far this season… The team's offense is led by senior Megan Kane (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville), who has 53 points on the season and classmate Morgan DuPont (Wynantskill, NY/Averill Park), who has 35 points... Junior Courtney Wheeler (Ava, NY/Rome Free Academy), sophomore Rebecca Plunkett (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) and freshmen Brooke Miller (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) have also chipped in with 23 goals each. 

SCOUTING ITHACA: The Bombers are currently 8-7 overall and 5-2 in conference play… The team's offense is led by juniors Ally Runyon and Riley Marion… Runyon has 58 points (46 goals, 12 assists) on the year, while Marion has posted 43 points (31 goals, 12 assists)... So far this season 11 of the Bombers have posted at least 12 points… Ithaca is tied for first in the E8 with Stevens in goals per game (13.00).

LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers will wrap up the regular season at home this Saturday against the Highlanders of Houghton College... Game time at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium is set for 4 p.m.