UTICA, NY – Keuka College rallied from a 7-3 halftime deficit to knot the score at 8-8 early in the fourth quarter, but host Utica College netted three straight goals in a span of 8:32 in the fourth quarter to guide the Pioneers to an 11-9 win over the Wolves on Tuesday night at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. 

Brickman House (Oneida, WI/Pulaski) led the Pioneers with two goals and two assists while Jake Bratek (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) and Ryan Desveaux (Bowmanville, ONT/St. Stephen Catholic) each added two goals. Liam Wheatley (Rochester, NY/Webster Schroeder) added one goal and one assist, while Sam Davi (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) recorded his first collegiate goal. Andrew Davi (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) recorded two assists while leading scorer Dominic Castiglia (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) posted one goal. Brandon Tracz (Oswego, NY/Oswego) chipped in with his first goal of the year for the Pioneers.

Utica evened its record up at 2-2 on the year and will host unbeaten and nationally-ranked No. 3 Ithaca College in its Empire 8 Conference opener on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Utica jumped out to a 4-1 first quarter lead behind goals from Desveaux, Castiglia, Tracz and Sam Davi (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford). The Pioneers poured in three more second quarter goals to earn a 7-3 lead headed into the half. Bratek netted both of his goals in a two minute span in the second quarter while House tacked on his first of the day to close out the first half scoring for UC.

Keuka came out hot in the second half and netted five goals in just over ten minutes to tie the score at 8-8.  Wheatley, House and Desveaux then put the Pioneers on their backs and tallied three consecutive goals in a span of 8:22 to take an 11-9 lead with 2:07 remaining in regulation.

Utica senior goalie Parker Smith (Dexter, NY/General Brown) allowed just two fourth quarter goals and stopped nine shots on the day as he picked up his second win of the young season. Ryan Mavretish added 17 saves in the loss for the Wolves.

Keuka was led by four goals and two assists from Craig Gerhardt.

Nick Finnegan (Bayshore, NY/Islip) won 15-of-21 faceoffs for the Pioneers and scooped up five ground balls, while Rusty Dessert (Islip, NY/Islip) added five caused turnovers and a team-high eight ground balls. Tyler Nicolaus (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) also added five ground balls on the defensive end for Utica.