UTICA, NY- The RPI field hockey team scored five unanswered goals as it cruised to a 5-1 victory over Utica College Wednesday evening at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.  Freshman Josie Sgarlata (Canastota, NY/Canastota) scored the lone goal for the Pioneers.
 
Utica jumped out to a quick start and put a lot of pressure on the Engineers right from the opening possession.  Sgarlata gathered a ball from 30 yards out and ran in on the left side of the net, she held up and fired a backhander inside the right post for her first collegiate goal.
 
RPI responded just four minutes later as Mikaela DiBello tipped in a shot from Megan Jones off the corner and slipped it inside the far post to even the score. 
 
The Engineers scored the go-ahead in the 13^th minute as DiBello ran down the right side and sent in a feed to Nessa Costa, who was waiting unmarked in front of the goal.  Utica goalie Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) was able to stop the first shot, but Costa put the rebound into the back of the cage for her third of the season.
 
RPI pulled away in the second half as DiBello, Jones, and Mikaela Hanos each found the back of the net to take a commanding 5-1 lead.
 
Whitehouse made seven saves in the loss, while Rachel Kaufman had four saves for the Eingineers.
 
RPI improves to 3-2 on the year and will take on Montclair State on Sunday (2 p.m.).  Utica falls to 0-5 on the season.  The Pioneers look to rebound on Saturday as they face St. John Fisher College.  Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Gaetano Stadium.