The Utica College men's lacrosse team prepares for another Empire 8 road game against Hartwick Wednesday. Game time is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. 
 
Last Time Out: The Pioneers defeated Empire 8 foe, St. John Fisher, 13-6 at home Saturday ... Dominic Castiglia (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) recorded a team-high four goals and one assist, while senior Brickman House (Oneida, WI/Pulaski) scored three goals and had two assists ... Senior goalkeeper Parker Smith (Dexter, NY/General Brown) stopped 12 shots and allowed just one goal in the second half.  It was the first time the Pioneers defeated the Cardinals since 2013.
 
Playoff Scenario: With Saturday's win, the Pioneers now have a 9-5 overall record and are 3-3 in the Empire 8 conference … Utica has two Empire 8 games left in their regular season schedule (at Hartwick and Elmira) … If the Pioneers win both games they will secure the No. 4 spot in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament for just the second time in program-history … The last time Utica defeated Fisher was back in 2013 when the Pioneers won in double overtime and locked up the No. 4 seed in the Empire 8 Tournament for the first time in program-history.
 
House and Castiglia Taking Command: House recorded a team-high 57 points on 33 goals and 24 assists this season … He is also ranked third in the Empire 8 Conference in assists per game (1.71) … Castiglia is ranked second on the team in points (48), but has scored the most goals for the Pioneers this season (38) … He is also ranked fifth in the Empire 8 conference in goals per game (2.71).
 
Honors for Bratek: Jake Bratek (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) was selected as the Empire 8 Men's Lacrosse Player of the Week for his performance last week … Bratek totaled six goals, two assists, and two ground balls in two conference games for the Pioneers ... He registered three goals and two assists in Utica's key E8 win at home against St. John Fisher.
 
Smith Still Blocking the Way: Smith continues to be the Pioneers top-performing goalie … He now has a team-high 141 saves and is 7-5 this season … He is also ranked second in the Empire 8 in saves per game (11.75) … Thanks to Smith, UC is now ranked second in the Empire 8 in saves per game (12.14).  
 
Scouting Hartwick College: The Hawks are 7-5 overall and 4-2 in the Empire 8 … They crushed Houghton College 14-4 at home last Saturday, as senior Matt McCallan led the Hawks with three goals ... Hartwick goalies C.J. Alesandrini and Sam Nowak recorded a combined five saves in the victory … Senior Jake Sachse and sophomore Sam Ferguson are both putting up big numbers for the Hawks this season … Sachse has a team-high 32 points on 15 goals and 17 assists this season and Ferguson has 29 points and a team-high 24 goals … Hartwick's goalie Connor O'Brien has had the most appearance and starts (11) on the team this year, despite not playing last Saturday's home game … He  owns a starting record of 6-4 and has made a team-high 92 saves. 
 
Against the Hawks: Utica beat Hartwick in five out of the six previous matchups … The Pioneers beat the Hawks 11-10 at home in the second-to-last game of the 2016 regular season (4/27/16) … Castiglia led the way for the Pioneers with four goals and one assist … He also netted the game-winning goal with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter … Smith and sophomore goalie Harrison Bower (Northport, NY/Kings Park) stopped a combined total of nine shots. 
 
Looking Ahead: After Hartwick, the Pioneers will finish the regular season against conference foe Elmira College on the road Saturday… Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.