Utica, NY -- The Utica College women's soccer team will finish up the regular season on Saturday, as it travels to play E8 Tournament host Stevens. This potential conference championship game preview is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers hosted St. John Fisher in their last contest, beating the Cardinals 1-0 at home to clinch a spot in the conference tournament. Sophomore Kierra Caissey (Gardner, MA/Gardner) scored the only goal of the match, with classmate Emma Workman (Salt Lake City, UT/East) receiving the assist. Allison Wagner (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) was back in net, stopping six shots on the way to earning her fourth shutout of the 2018 season. The win improves the team's record to 10-5-2 overall and 5-1-1 in Empire 8 play, securing the second seed for the E8 Tournament.
Leading the Way: Mikayla Blumenstock (Poland, NY/Poland) has been a driving force for UC this season, as she leads the Empire 8 in both goals (11) and total points (26). Although she did not score against Fisher in the most recent contest, Blumenstock had previously recorded five goals in four games. In her first year at Utica she has put together the second highest goal total for a single season in program history.
Chasing the Record: Junior Goalkeeper Allison Wagner (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) is currently second all-time in career saves here at Utica. In the team's last match against St. John Fisher, Wagner made six saves to become just the second player in program history to surpass the 400 career saves mark. With a career tally of 401 stops, she is just 26 saves away from breaking the all-time saves record (Melissa Diana - 426 saves, 1996-98).
History Lesson: With a record of 10-5-2 overall, this is the first 10 win season for UC since the 2006 season when the team went 11-8-2. During that year the Pioneers lost, 2-1, in overtime to Nazareth in the E8 Championship game. The 2007 season was the last time the team clinched a spot in the conference tournament, as it was defeated by Ithaca in round one. This is the first time in program history Utica is entering the E8 Tournament as the #2 seed. The Pioneers are 1-2-1 all-time in the conference tournament.
Scouting Stevens: The Ducks have been rolling all season, as demonstrated by their current 10-game winning streak. With a record of 12-2 overall (7-0, Empire 8), Stevens suffered one of those losses at the hands of #21 Swarthmore College back in early September. This team has six players that have recorded at least 10 points this season, including the leading goal scorer Ally Wanzor (8 goals). Goalkeepers Erika McCarthy and Izzy DiDario have combined to allow just nine goals on a combined total of 70 faced shots.
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers are locked in as the second seed for the Empire 8 Conference Tournament which will be hosted by Stevens next weekend. UC will be facing off against the third seeded Hartwick Hawks on Friday, November 2nd, in the E8 Semifinals.
