Utica, NY – Senior Owen Gillam (Bristol, CT/Bristol) drilled a 30 yard free kick into the upper right corner of the net with 24:52 left in regulation to help lift the Utica College men's soccer team to a thrilling 1-0 victory over visiting Ithaca College in Empire 8 Conference action Saturday at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. 

The Pioneers improved to 2-8 overall and more importantly earned their first Empire 8 Conference victory of the season.  Utica is now 1-2 in conference play and handed the Bombers (4-5, 2-1 E8) their first conference loss of the year.

Utica's Matthew Milograno (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) stopped eight shots in net for the Pioneers and earned his first shutout of the season. Ithaca goalie Zach Jacobsen stopped five shots in the loss for the Bombers.

With just under eight minutes left to play in the game and trailing by one goal, the Bombers had two opportunities to tie with shots on goal in the 82nd and 90th minutes, respectively, but the Pioneers came up with the save each time en route to their first conference win.

Utica kept consistent pressure on Ithaca all afternoon, outshooting the Bombers 16-11. Ithaca earned a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.  

UC returns to the pitch on Saturday when it travels to Stevens for Empire 8 action in Hoboken, NJ at 1 p.m.