UTICA, NY - Tie match in the second half and a penalty kick has been awarded. It's a seemingly overwhelming scenario for most, but it's just another day at the office for Utica freshman Jhonny Theze (Bronx, NY/Claremont International). Theze drew a penalty in the Berkeley 18 yard box in the 89th minute, then buried the ensuing penalty kick to hoist the Pioneers over the visiting Knights by a 4-3 score at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. The win is Utica's third straight.

The Pioneers improve to 9-2-2 to mark the team's best-ever record through thirteen matches. The penalty kick game-winner is the second for Theze this season as he improved to 2-for-2 on penalty kicks for his career while netting his seventh goal of the year. One more goal moves Theze into a tie for tenth on the college's single season goals list.

It was also a night of firsts for the Pioneers as some others paved the way to victory. Senior Randy Malek (Tampa, FL/Alonso) and freshman Brady Maloney (Ellisburg, NY/Bellville Henderson) each scored their first career goals, while goalkeeper Nick Spooner (Lisbon, NY/Lisbon) helped cement the result with a four save effort in his first career collegiate start.

Adnan Bakalovic (Utica, NY/Proctor High School) had his second multi-assist game in a Utica uniform as his impact was felt rather quickly in the first half.

The Pioneers narrowly outshot the Knights on the goal frame by a 9-8 margin, and Utica held a 9-5 advantage in the corner kicks department. Jean-Gardy Derineau had two goals for Berkeley.

The Pioneers started the match on the front foot and cashed in with a flurry of offense past the opening ten minutes. In the fourteenth minute, the Pioneers lifted the lid on the scoring as a well-weighted ball by Bakalovic landed at the feet of Ethan Thomas (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa), and Thomas swept the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net for a 1-0 lead. The goal at 13:23 is Thomas's second of the season.

Bakalovic again made his presence known moments later as he crossed a ball in to Randy Malek (Tampa, FL/Alonso) from the left side, and the senior from the Sunshine State pasted the ball into the back of the net for his first career collegiate goal and a 2-0 advantage at 16:37.

Moments later, a position of strength for Utica became even more established as a straight red card left the Knights with only ten men. The Pioneers would sieze that opportunity once before the end of the first half as Maloney scored a transition strike on an assist from Thomas Muller (Camillus, NY/Bishop Ludden) for a 3-0 halftime lead.

The visitors however, were relentless. Berkeley regrouped at halftime and mounted a massive rally despite being down a player on the pitch. Amadou Sy started their scoring in the 62nd minute, and Jean-Gardy Derineau handled the rest of the tall task of getting the Knights back to level terms. Derineau connected on goals in both the 77th and 83rd minutes to turn the match around to a tie game.

That set the table for Theze, who drilled the ball into the right side of the cage on his late penalty kick, and the Pioneers waltzed away as 4-3 winners in another thrilling match at Gaetano Stadium. All three wins in Utica's winning streak have come by a single goal.

The Pioneers will return to the pitch on Saturday as they host Nazareth College.