UTICA, NY – The Utica College men's lacrosse team netted six goals in the second quarter to earn a 9-4 lead and never looked back as the Pioneers improved to 3-1 at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium after a 15-11 victory over visiting SUNY Polytechnic on Wednesday afternoon.  Senior attack Ryan Desveaux (Bowmanville, ONT/St. Stephen Catholic) netted a career-high eight goals and added one assist to pace the Pioneers to their sixth win of the season. Desveaux now has 120 career points and moved into fourth place on the College's all-time scoring list.  He is also just two goals shy of 100 for his career as he currently sits in fourth in program-history with 98 career goals.

Utica's record moved to 6-5 overall and the Pioneers have won four of their last six contests headed into four straight Empire 8 Conference contests to close out regular season play. 

Freshman Dylan Dunham (Elbridge, NY/Jordan Elbridge) added a career-high five points on two goals and three assists, while Jake Bratek (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) returned to action after a two-game hiatus and posted four assists in the Pioneer victory. John Hanlon (Coconut Creek, FL/St. John Paul Academy) added two goals and two assists and he now has 22 points this season on eight goals and 14 helpers.

Jimmy Vienneau (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) had his best game to date at the face off X as he won 18-of-27 draws and picked up a career-high 10 ground balls to help the Pioneers control possession. Matt Fedullo (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) posted six caused turnovers and scooped up three ground balls on the defensive end, while Michael Foresti (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Nick Alexander (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) each added five ground balls in the victory.

Nine different Pioneers posted at least one point in the four goal victory.  Senior Nick Yelich (Lancaster, NY/Depew) netted two goals and ranks second on the team this season with 29 points. Yelich is now just one point shy of tying his career high of 30 which he originally set last season.

Eddie Rosaschi totaled five points on three goals and two assists to pace a much improved SUNY Poly team which lost just its second game of the season. The Wildcats, who are coached by former Pioneer assistant coach and New Hartford native Brandon Misiaszek, saw their record fall to 7-2 overall on the season.

Utica will now hit the road for two key Empire 8 contests, beginning with a pivotal tilt at St. John Fisher College on Saturday (1 p.m.). Utica currently sits in a three-way tie for second place in the conference standings with a 2-1 E8 ledger.

SUNY Poly jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first 5:35 of action before the Pioneers rattled off four straight goals to take a 5-2 lead with 10:56 to go in the first half. The Pioneers outscored the Wildcats 4-2 in the final 9:31 of the first half to earn a 9-4 lead as the halftime horn sounded.

UC opened the second half with two straight goals before the Wildcats put a scare in the home team with three straight tallies to make it a four goal game, 11-7, with 3:17 to go in the third quarter. 

Utica answered the call with two straight goals from John Hanlon (Coconut Creek, FL/St. John Paul Academy) and Dylan Dunham (Elbridge, NY/Jordan Elbridge) to essentially put the contest out of reach, 13-7, with 9:14 left in regulation. 

The Wildcats scored four of the game's final six goals but any chance of a comeback fell short as the Pioneers came away with the four goal victory.

Freshman goalie Ryan Boshart (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) stopped six shots and allowed just six goals in 26:21 of action, while Harrison Bower (Northport, NY/Kings Park) made six saves in relief for the Pioneers.  Jared Laird stopped nine shots between the pipes for the Wildcats.