UTICA, NY – The Utica College men's soccer team is set to host Clarkson University in its home opener on Wednesday afternoon at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium (4 p.m.). 

HOT START:  The Pioneers are off to their first 2-0 start since Head Coach Brian Marcantonio's first season back in 2014 … 2014 was also the last time Utica earned a spot in the coveted Empire 8 Conference Tournament … The Pioneers have not started a season 3-0 in at least 20 years … The last time the Pioneers were unbeaten through three games was in 2005 (1-0-2).

DEFENSIVE POTW: Sophomore goalie Jonathan Side (Plattsburgh, NY/Plattsburgh) of the Utica College men's soccer team earned his first career Empire 8 Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor on Tuesday … Side, a transfer from Tompkins Cortland Community College, started his Utica College career with two consecutive shut outs last week … He made six saves, including a huge first half penalty kick save, as the Pioneers used late heroics to top SUNY Polytechnic 1-0 in their season-opener on Friday … He added seven saves and blanked SUNY Cobleskill 1-0 on Sunday.

GAME-WINNERS: Junior transfer Alex Purcell (Lansing, NY/Lansing) and sophomore defender Salvatore Cabibbo (Port Chester, NY/Port Chester) each posted second half game-winners last week … Purcell lifted the Pioneers to a thrilling 1-0 win on Friday as he netted the lone goal of the contest in the 86^th minute to guide Utica past SUNY Poly … Cabibbo made his first collegiate goal a memorable one on Sunday as he headed home the game-winner early in the second half to lift the Pioneers past SUNY Cobleskill 1-0. 

OFF TO A GOOD START: Transfer Tucker Marvin (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), who most recently played at LeMoyne College, is off to a successful start controlling the middle of the pitch for the Pioneers … He handled direct kick duties on Sunday and delivered an assist on Cabibbo's game-winning header against Cobleskill.

VETERAN IN THE BACK: Junior back Connor Nolte (Cohoes, NY/Shaker) has certainly played a major role in helping the Pioneers secure two shutouts to start the season … Nolte has played in all 180 minutes so far this season. 

CAN I HELP YOU?: Junior Julian Fonseca (Rocky Hill, CT/Bridgton) and freshman Patrick Hynes (Glenmont, NY/Bethlehem) each have one assist to their credit this season … Hynes' first collegiate point came on the Pioneers game-winner against SUNY Poly … Fonseca now has 34 career games under his belt and has four career assists.

PRESSURE UP TOP: UC has out shot its opponents 27-21 over the course of its first two contests … The Pioneers also own an incredible 23-2 corner kick advantage, a solid indicator of the type of pressure they have been able to put on their opponents thus far … Both of the Pioneer goals this season have come in the second half. 

HOME OPENERS: Utica is 6-4-1 in their last 11 home-openers at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium … Their last home-opening win came against Sage (3-0) back in 2014.

LAST MEETING AGAINST CLARKSON: The last time these two teams squared off the game ended in a 0-0 draw back in 2012 … Anthony Caruso made six saves in 110 minutes of work for the Pioneers … The contest was played at Gaetano Stadium.

MEET CLARKSON: Clarkson heads into Wednesday night's matchup at Utica with a 1-1 overall record this season … The Golden Knights opened the season with a 3-1 win at Wheaton College on Friday … They came back and dropped a 3-1 decision at Babson College on Saturday … Utica will undoubtedly have an eye on senior All-Liberty League selection Kevin Calnan who has scored all four of the Clarkson goals through two games this season.