Utica, NY -- The Utica College men's soccer team defeated Empire 8 opponent Stevens in dramatic fasion on Sunday, with a final score of 4-3. It was Senior Day for the Pioneers, as senior goalkeeper Matthew Milograno (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) scored the game-winning goal in the last game of the 2017 season. UC's record will finish at 8-9-2 overall and 1-4-2 in E8 play. 

Utica drew first blood in the contest, as senior Bita Gazashvili (Tiblisi, Georgia/) scored off of an assist from Daniel Varsames (Gansevoort, NY/Saratoga Springs) to make the score 1-0. Just six minutes later Alex Purcell (Lansing, NY/Lansing) found teammate Patrick Hynes (Glenmont, NY/Bethlehem) who buried a goal to make the lead 2-0 for UC in the first half.

Near the 30-minute mark in the game, Stevens was awarded a penalty kick that Jacob Ulasevich scored on to make the score 2-1. With less than five minutes remaining in the first, the Ducks scored a second goal thanks to Matthew Hammons to tie the game at 2-2 heading into halftime.

Less than four minutes into the second half, Stevens tallied its third straight unanswered goal to take a 3-2 lead. Thomas Muller (Camillus, NY/Bishop Ludden) was able to tie the game up again at 3-3, scoring in the final five minutes of regulation.

Two minutes and three seconds after Muller's goal, goalkeeper Matthew Milograno (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) punted the ball after a save that took a favorable bounce and wound up beating the Stevens goalie. Utica came away with the 4-3 victory over the Ducks, marking their first win in Empire 8 competition this season.

The Pioneers recorded their first win over Stevens, in program history. Milograno's goal was the first of his career and the game-winning goal, in the final game of his collegiate playing career.

UC's goalkeeper Matthew Milograno (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) made seven saves in net for the team. Milograno scoring on the day makes it the second time this year that one of UC's keepers has earned a score, as Austyn Diller (Tappan, NY/Tappan Zee) scored in a 2-0 win over D'Youville. Mitko Bozinov tallied four saves for Stevens in the game. 

With a final overall mark of 8-9-2, the team greatly improved from last season's record of 2-13-1. The Pioneers close the 2017 season out with a two-game winning streak.