Utica, NY – The Utica College women's soccer team will be starting off the 2018 season this weekend with a two-game road trip. The Pioneers will travel to SUNY Brockport on Friday for a 7 p.m. start for the first game of the year, before heading out to face SUNY Geneseo at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
 
2017 Recap: The team finished last season with an overall record of 5-11-1 and ended up 2-6 against Empire 8 opponents. UC earned its first win against St. John Fisher in ten years, defeating the Cardinals 2-1 in overtime on the road. Returner Kierra Caissey (Gardner, MA/Gardner) notched her first collegiate goal in the contest, while junior goalkeeper Allison Wagner (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) made 12 saves to help lift Utica over Fisher. In the matchup with Elmira, the Pioneers controlled the tempo early on as they earned a 3-0 shutout win on the road. Outside the Empire 8 Conference, the team picked up wins against DeSales University, Morrisville State, and SUNY ESF.
 
Wagner's Net: Allison Wagner (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) has returned for her junior year and is ready to lead the back lines of this UC defense. Wagner is coming off of a strong sophomore season, where she set career-highs of 157 saves and five shutouts. Her saves total led the Empire 8 and even earned the highest saves per game average in the conference (9.24). She was crucial in UC's win over DeSales, recording a season-high of 18 saves on the way to a 1-0 shutout. Allison's efforts and success on the field as a sophomore earned her a Second Team All-Conference selection. Heading into her third season in net, she currently ranks fourth all-time in the Utica record books with 289 career saves.
 
Key Returners: The 2018 women's soccer roster features 18 returning players, after graduating just four members from last year's team. Jenna Mazza (Frankfort, NY/Sauquoit Valley) is back for her senior campaign after earning an All-Conference Honorable Mention last year, thanks to her team-leading tally of four goals. Sophomores Kierra Caissey (Gardner, MA/Gardner), Amanda Thut (Carmel, NY/Carmel), and Emma Workman (Salt Lake City, UT/East) are all back after being selected for All-Conference Honorable Mention as freshman. Thut and Caissey combined for three goals and two assists last year for the team. Abby Reilly (Brookfield, NY/Brookfield) is returning for her senior season, coming off of a three-goal year as a junior. Other goal scorers from last year that are back for another go-round are Gabrielle Esposito (Rotterdam, NY/Mohonasen) (2 goals) and Jessica Levy (Coram, NY/Longwood) (1 goal). Sophomore defender Summer Gagnon (Manchester, NH/Manchester) will once again be a key element to the Pioneer defense, as she brings valuable playing experience from her freshman season. Gagnon was second on the team in minutes played last year and was one of four players who started all 17 games in 2017.
 
Fresh Faces: Among the field of players on the roster are eight new faces, including a freshman recruiting class size of six. Emily Hill (Watertown, CT/Watertown), Taylor Miller (Trumansburg, NY/Charles O. Dickerson), Sierra Varonier (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), Katherine Migliori (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), Cynthia Boncaldo (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park), and Ashley Aguilar (Elmont, NY/New Hyde Park) make up the 2018 freshman class for the UC women's soccer team. The Pioneers have also welcomed sophomore Ashley Bray (Schuyler, NY/West Canada Valley) and junior Mikayla Blumenstock (Poland, NY/Poland) to the squad.
 
2018 Seniors: This year's team features six seniors who will be playing their final season here at Utica College this fall. The senior class consists of Jessica Levy (Coram, NY/Longwood), Brooke Catalano (West Islip, NY/West Islip), Jenna Mazza (Frankfort, NY/Sauquoit Valley), Abby Reilly (Brookfield, NY/Brookfield), AnnaLisa MacPhee (Latham, NY/Shaker), and Gabrielle Esposito (Rotterdam, NY/Mohonasen). Each and every senior has contributed over the course of their careers and will be expected to help lead the Pioneers throughout the 2018 season.
 
Road Trip: UC is on the road for the opening weekend of the season, as it matches up with SUNY Brockport on Friday (7 p.m.) and then SUNY Geneseo on Saturday (3 p.m.). The Golden Eagles from Brockport finished last year with a 9-7-2 record overall. The team went 4-4-1 in conference play to earn a spot in the SUNYAC Tournament, but were knocked out by way of a 3-0 loss to SUNY Cortland in the first round. Geneseo is coming off of a great season in 2017, making it to the third round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Knights earned an overall record of 18-2-2 and went 8-1 in the SUNYAC on their way to securing the SUNYAC Conference Championship. Utica will be tested by these non-conference opponents during opening weekend.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will be on the road once again Wednesday, September 5^th, as they travel to Buffalo, NY to battle Buffalo State. The out of conference contest is scheduled to kick-off at 6:30 p.m.