UTICA, NY- The Utica College men's soccer team returns to action Saturday as it travels to St. John Fisher College for an Empire 8 Conference match up.  Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming of a 4-1 win at home on Wednesday to SUNY ESF… Sophomore Thomas Muller (Camillus, NY/Bishop Ludden) netted a career-high three goals, while Julian Fonseca (Rocky Hill, CT/Bridgton) chipped in with a career-best three assists… Transfer walk-on Paul Mitchell (Belfast, Ireland/CBS) netted his first collegiate goal in the win… Senior goalie Matthew Milograno (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) played well in net for the second consecutive game as he made seven saves to improve to 2-0 on the season.
 
FINISHING STRONG: The Pioneers have turned it up a notch in the second half this year… UC has netted just three goals, while allowing three against in the first 45 minutes of action… However, Utica has outscored its opponents 12-6 in the second half of play.
 
DISHING IT OUT: Junior Julian Fonseca (Rocky Hill, CT/Bridgton) currently leads the nation with nine assists… He needs just three more to tie the program record for assists in a season… He is currently tied for sixth all-time with 12 career assists… Fonseca is one of only two players in the conference with more than 10 points this season.
 
FINDING THE BACK OF THE NET: 10 players have scored at least one goal for the Pioneers this season… Thomas Muller (Camillus, NY/Bishop Ludden) leads the team and is tied for second in the conference with four goals… Alex Purcell (Lansing, NY/Lansing) is right behind Muller with three goals of his own, which is tied for fifth in the E8.
 
SHUTTING THE DOOR: Sophomore Jonathan Side (Plattsburgh, NY/Plattsburgh) leads the conference with 44 total saves and he shares the league-lead with three shutouts… Side boasts a save percentage of .830 and a goals against average of 1.28.
 
SCOUTING FISHER: The defending conference champion St. John Fisher Cardinals are currently 4-1-3 overall and 0-1 in the Empire 8… Fisher is coming off a 2-1 win over D'Youville on Tuesday… The Cardinals are led by senior Bryan Rollins, who has nine points (four goals, one assist) on the year.
 
AGAINST THE CARDINALS: Utica is 2-3 against Fisher in the last five years… Last year, the Cardinals came away with a 2-0 win… Matthew Milograno (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) made nine saves in the loss. 
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers remain on the road Tuesday as they travel to Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences… Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.