UTICA, NY- The Utica College Men's lacrosse team will be on the road for the first time this season when it travels across town to take on local rival SUNY Poly Monday afternoon. The opening face-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
Last Time Out: The team was last in action on Saturday as it fell to Empire 8 foe and nationally ranked No. 3 Ithaca College, 19-2… Seniors Tyler Nicolaus (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Brickman House (Oneida, WI/Pulaski) scored the two goals for the Pioneers… Classmate Parker Smith (Dexter, NY/General Brown) led the team with eight ground balls and made a career-high 19 saves in the contest.
 
Castiglia Maintaining Play: Sophomore Dominic Castiglia (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) continues to build off an impressive freshman campaign that saw him score 40 goals…  Castiglia is currently leading the team with 11 goals on the season and he is tied for the team lead with 14 total points… He remains one of the best in the Empire 8 Conference and currently ranks eighth in scoring, averaging 2.20 goals per game.
 
Improvement: The team's 2-3 start to their season improves on the 1-4 start the Pioneers had to begin 2016… This year's offense has also been more efficient than last year through the first five games… Last season, the team had 35 total goals after five games but this year the Pioneers have scored 45 goals.
 
Scouting SUNY Poly: The Wildcats are coming off a 15-11 loss to SUNY Canton on Saturday and are entering the game against UC with a 1-4 record… Senior Connor Elsenbeck is leading the team with 14 points on the season with nine goals and five assists… However, classmate Tyler Heldt is leading the team with ten goals but is second on the team with 13 points… SUNY Poly has started three different goalies in the team's first five games that have all combined for 59 saves on the year… The Wildcats are coached by Brendan Misiaszek, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach for the Pioneers. 
 
Against SUNY Poly: Last season the Pioneers defeated the Wildcats at home 12-4… Brickman House (Oneida, WI/Pulaski) and Nick Yelich (Lancaster, NY/Depew) combined for four goals and four assists in the victory…Utica has won every matchup (5-0) that has been played against SUNY Poly.
 
Looking Ahead: The team will return to action on Wednesday for a home matchup against SUNY Oswego. The opening face-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.