Utica, NY – The Utica College men's lacrosse team set a new program record for goals in a single game, as it defeated Houghton College 31-7, on Saturday afternoon at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. The Pioneers have won three straight and improved to 5-3 overall and 1-1 in Empire 8 Conference play.

UC was dominant right from the start as the team ended the first quarter with a 14-0 lead. Ryan Desveaux (Bowmanville, ONT/St. Stephen Catholic) and Brickman House (Oneida, WI/Pulaski) netted three goals each in the opening quarter of play. Nick Yelich (Lancaster, NY/Depew) and Dominic Castiglia (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) both scored two goals while John Hanlon (Coconut Creek, FL/St. John Paul Academy) and Brandon Tracz (Oswego, NY/Oswego) added one a piece in the first. Face-off man Nick Finnegan (Bayshore, NY/Islip) also added his first career goal in the first quarter. The majority of the Pioneer starters only played the first 15 minutes of the contest, making way for the underclassman in the final 45 minutes of the game.
 
Throughout the next three quarters of the game, UC outscored the Highlanders 17-7. Houghton scored the first goal of the second before the Pioneers came back with nine unanswered goals, including a career-high four tallies from junior Patrick Dickson (West Palm Beach, FL/Cardinal Newman). With 4:14 remaining before halftime, freshman Michael Foresti (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) registered his first collegiate career goal. Freshman Dakota Allen (Rome, NY/Holland Patent) netted his first and second career goals, as classmate Justin Kruszewski (Cynwyd, PA/Harriton) also recorded his first collegiate goal. In the second half, Matt Fedullo (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) tallied his first career hat trick.
 
Lucas Holeman (Dexter, NY/Watertown) and Lucas Sexton (Hampton, NH/Winnacunnet) both earned their first career goals on the day, while Bob Zatolla also found the back of the net for the Pioneers. Other goal scorers included Jake Bratek (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt), Mitch Sobilo (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg), and Sam Davi (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford), as they all netted one score in the contest. The Pioneers had 18 different players find the back of the net in the 24-goal victory.

Sophomore goalkeeper Harrison Bower (Northport, NY/Kings Park) started and played the entire first half in net, allowing just two goals. Bower's record this season is now 2-0 after the win. Brad Schulman (Airmont, NY/Suffern) and Dylan Allen (Rome, NY/Holland Patent) both played one quarter in the net for UC as well.
 
Houghton's Paul Chapman contributed with five points on his three goals and two assists in the game. Cole Chapman also scored three goals in the contest as well as adding one assist. Jorge Medina played in net the entire game for the Highlanders making 11 saves.
 
The Pioneers out-shot their opponent 60-15 throughout the course of the contest. UC also scooped up 46 ground balls to Houghton's 25. The 31 goals against the Highlanders broke the previous program record of 27 goals, set in 2001 when the Pioneers defeated Medaille by a score of 27-5.
 
UC will be back in action on Wednesday to host Alfred State College. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at Gaetano Stadium.