UTICA, NY – The Utica College women's lacrosse team jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first 13:37 of the contest and never looked back as the Pioneers topped visiting Elmira College 16-8 in their Empire 8 Conference opener at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium on Saturday afternoon.  Eight players scored at least two points for the Pioneers and they were led by a four goal effort from leading scorer Rebecca Plunkett (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park), who now has 25 goals on the season. Sophomore Brooke Miller (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) added two goals and two assists for the Pioneers, while Courtney Wheeler (Ava, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) each added three goals.  Three goals for Dowling tied her career-high.

The Pioneers, winners of two in a row, improved to 5-3 overall on the year and 1-0 in the Empire 8. UC returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to SUNY Poly to take on the Wildcats at 5 p.m. Elmira's record dropped to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

Plunkett currently ranks 11^th all-time at UC with 108 career points (95 goals, 13 assists).  She ranks eighth all-time in career-goals and needs five more to become just the seventh player in program-history to score 100 or more goals.  She posted a career-high nine draw controls against Elmira and her 41 draw controls this season through eight games are already tied for 10^th on the College's single season list.

UC jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first half before Elmira got on the board at the 12:17 ledger.  The Pioneers then added six of the game's next eight goals before the half to take an 11-3 lead into the intermission. The Pioneers led 9-3 with 2:38 to go in the half, until Wheeler and Plunkett each netted a goal in the final 2:11 to land UC the eight goal lead after 30 full minutes.

The Pioneers tacked on five more goals in the first 8:53 of the second half to take its largest lead of the contest, 16-3, with 21:07 to go in regulation.  Elmira scored the final five goals of the game as the Pioneers earned the eight goal victory.

Moorea Spoljaric netted four goals and added one assist to pace the Soaring Eagles.  Hayley Baker also chipped in with two goals, while Marisa Carr and Sarah Hughson added one goal apiece.

Division II transfer Sara Hennessey (East Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) recorded season-best two assists for UC, while freshman Katlyn Scarpinella (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) added one goal and one assist. Amanda Chruscicki (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) added one goal and one assist, while freshman Mary Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) netted a career-high two goals. Freshman Natalie Capriglione (New Milford, CT/New Milford Greenwave) added her first collegiate assist for UC as well.

Maggie Notter (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes) posted a team-best four caused turnovers and picked up three ground balls for Utica. She currently leads the team with 21 caused turnovers this season. Utica goalie Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) stopped six shots and picked up a team-best four ground balls as she earned the victory between the pipes. Goalies Amanda Lupo (Auburn, NY/Skaneateles) and Erin Jacobson (Staten Island, NY/Curtis) each stopped two shots in relief of Casey.

Elmira's Lindsay Wargo added five saves as she came into the game in the first half and totaled 46:23 of work.