UTICA, NY- The Utica College men's lacrosse team outscored Elmira 10-0 in the second half to come away with a 16-7 win over the Soaring Eagles in Empire 8 Conference action Saturday.
 
The Pioneers improve to 4-4 on the year and 2-0 in conference play.  Utica will return to action Wednesday as it travels to Alfred State University.  Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
After falling down 4-2 in the first quarter, the Pioneers scored three straight to get right back into the game.  With it looking like the teams would be tied 6-6 heading into halftime, Elmira was able to net the go-ahead with just 2.9 seconds left on the clock to take a one-goal lead.
 
Utica responded with the first goal of the second half just 1:59 into play and added four more scores over the next five minutes to take a commanding 11-7 lead.  The Pioneers added a man-down goal with two minutes remaining in the third quarter and tacked on four more scores in the fourth to seal the victory.
 
Jake Bratek (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) led the way with three goals and three assists, while Nick Yelich (Lancaster, NY/Depew) totaled two goals and added two helpers to move into a tie for the team-lead with 23 points on the year.
 
Ryan Desveaux (Bowmanville, ONT/St. Stephen Catholic), John Hanlon (Coconut Creek, FL/St. John Paul Academy), and Tyler Giachinta (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) each had two goals and one assist on the day while Michael Foresti (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) chipped in with a goal of his own. Utica also had big scores by defender Matt Fedullo (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) and the man-down goal by Zach Duby (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) in the win.
 
Fedullo led the defense with five caused turnovers, while Nick Alexander (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) had six ground balls.  Jimmy Vienneau (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) had a strong showing in the faceoff circle, as he was 16-for-26 and scooped up a game-high eight ground balls.
 
Harrison Bower (Northport, NY/Kings Park) made six saves in the first half; while freshman Ryan Boshart (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) stopped all seven shots he faced in the second half to pick up the win.