Utica, NY – On Saturday, October 8^th, the Utica College men's soccer team will play on the road against Stevens Institute of Technology at 1 p.m. in Hoboken, NJ.
 
Last Time Out: Utica earned its second win of the season against a tough Empire 8 opponent in Ithaca College on Saturday, defeating the Bombers 1-0 at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. Saturday's victory snapped the team's four game losing streak against their conference rival. The game remained scoreless until the second half when Owen Gillam (Bristol, CT/Bristol) scored on a free kick earning his second goal of the season. This marks Utica's first Empire 8 Conference win of the season putting them at a record of 1-2 in conference.
 
Heating Up: The defense has shown great improvements over the last three games as senior defender Patrick Claffey (Burlington, CT/Lewis Mills) and junior goalkeeper Matthew Milograno (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) lead the way. They gave up 14 goals in a three game stretch prior to the September 23^rd matchup against Alfred University. Since then, the defense has only surrendered four goals in three games with their two defensive leaders playing every minute of every game. The Pioneers have five Empire 8 contests remaining on their schedule and this improving defense will play a vital role in helping Utica make a push for the Empire 8 Conference Tournament.  
 
Sharing the Wealth: After not registering a shot for six games Owen Gillam (Bristol, CT/Bristol) put all three of his shot attempts on goal in the team's last game against Ithaca College. He scored his second goal of the season, as he was more aggressive on offense. Look for his aggression to continue on the field and for that to translate into more goals for the team.
 
Scouting Stevens: Stevens Institute of Technology is currently 5-3-1 overall with a 2-1 conference record. They put their four game winning streak on the line against #14 Franklin and Marshall College on Wednesday October 5^th at 7p.m. They are led by Patrick Masur and Tommy Dorsay who both have scored four goals thus far.
 
Against Stevens: In the team's last meeting against Stevens, the Pioneers came up short with a 3-1 loss during the 2015 season. The men's soccer team is looking to record its first win over their Empire Conference rival Stevens in program history.
 
Looking Ahead: On Wednesday October 12^th, Utica College men's soccer will be back home at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium as they match up against Hamilton College at 5:30 p.m.
 
Follow the Game Live: Live video and stats will be available for the game on Saturday. The link can be found on the Utica College Men's Soccer schedule webpage.
 
Get The App: Utica Athletics recently launched a fan rewards program to promote fan engagement for all 26 of UC's intercollegiate sports… Powered by SuperFanU, the "Pioneer Pride Points" Fan Rewards app uses GPS tracking to recognize where fans are located at specified home games… Points are earned by attending and "Checking In" to UC athletics games, participating in a variety of contests and interacting with social media platforms through the app… The app is available on all IPhone and Android devices by searching 'Pioneer Pride Points' in the Apple App Store or GooglePlay Market and is free to all Utica College students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and fans.

Social Media: If you can't make it out to the game make sure to follow live updates on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers … If you are at the game on Twitter, or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #LetsGoUC … You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers ... Fans can also follow the Pioneers on Instagram or Snapchat by searching UCPioneers.