UTICA, NY – The Utica College men's lacrosse team hosts Elmira College in an Empire 8 Conference matchup on Saturday. The regular season finale is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Last Time Out: Utica defeated conference opponent Hartwick College 11-10 on Wednesday in comeback fashion … UC found itself down 7-2 after the first quarter of play and saw the deficit increase trailing 9-3 at halftime … The Pioneers would respond with a big third quarter outscoring the Hawks 6-1 to make it a 10-9 game … In the fourth quarter Utica completed the comeback netting two goals and holding Hartwick scoreless for the victory.
Castiglia Continues Impressive Freshman Season: Dominic Castiglia currently leads the team with 46 points (37 goals and 9 assists) … His 37 goals is tied for eighth in the College's all-time single season list … He also ranks fifth in the conference with an average of 2.64 goals per game … He has 29 points in his last six games played … Castiglia has five games this season where he has scored five or more points.
Field General: Senior Alex Finnegan (Bay Shore, NY/Islip) continues to lead the Pioneers on the offensive attacks with a team-high 25 assists on the season … Finnegan is currently tied for seventh on the Colleges all-time assists list (40) … He is second on the team with 36 points (11 goals and 25 assists … Finnegan has recorded 10 assists in the last five games … He is ranked fourth in the Empire 8 in assists per game (1.79).
Lighting It Up: Sophomore Ryan Desveaux is currently third on the team in points (25) and second on the team in goals (20) … He has 19 points in his last seven games and has scored three or more points in four of his last seven outings … His 25 points and 20 goals are both new career-bests after posting 17 points on 15 goals and two assists last season as a freshman.
In the Cage: Senior Andrew DiOrio has spent the most time in the cage for the Pioneers this season … He has recorded 134 saves, which ranks tenth on the College's all-time single season list and currently ranks third on the College's all-time saves list (495) … DiOrio is third in the Empire 8 in saves per game (12.18) … Junior Parker Smith (Dexter, NY/General Brown) and freshman Harrison Bower (Northport, NY/Kings Park) split time in the last game against Hartwick … Smith got the start and recorded four saves while giving up nine goals in the first-half … Bower replaced Smith in the second-half and recorded a season-high five saves and earned his first win of his collegiate career.
Breaking Out: Junior Brickman House (Oneida, WI/Pulaski) has a career-high 25 points this season (13 goals and 12 assists) … On Wednesday against Hartwick, House recorded four points (two goals and two assists), it was third time this season he has recorded four points in a game this season … Junior defenders Tyler Nicholausand Rusty Dessert (Islip, NY/Islip) are having break out season as they are tied on the team with career-highs in ground balls (41) … Nicholaushas a career-high 24 caused turnovers this season and is sixth in the Empire 8 in caused turnovers per game (1.71) … Dessert has a career-high 21 caused turnover this season and is tenth in the conference in caused turnovers per game (1.50).
Scouting Elmira: The Soaring Eagles are 4-8 overall with a 1-6 conference record … Elmira is currently on a five game losing streak falling to five straight Empire 8 opponents … Elmira is led by Skyler Pradelski who has 26 points (25 goals and one assist) and TJ Leach, who has 21 points (15 goals and six assists) … Cameron Prior has spent the most time in the cage with 203 saves, a 12.57 goals against average, and a .575 saves percentage.
Against the Soaring Eagles: Utica is 9-7 all-time against Elmira College … The Pioneers won last season 9-6 and have won the last four meetings against the Soaring Eagle.
Current Record: Utica's record is now 3-11 overall and 2-5 in Empire 8 play.
