UTICA, NY - The Utica College men's lacrosse team looks to open up Empire 8 conference play with a win as they travel to Hoboken, NJ to take on conference foe Stevens. The game is set for a 1 p.m. start time on Saturday.
 
Last Time Out: The Pioneers dominated on both ends of the field, as they took down Keuka College by a 16-6 margin at home. John Hanlon (Coconut Creek, FL/St. John Paul Academy) led the way with four goals and three assists on the afternoon, while James Daniele (Pleasantville, NY/Pleasantville) added two goals and four assists of his own. Goaltenders Ryan Boshart (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) and Harrison Bower (Northport, NY/Kings Park) split the game in net, making a combined 13 saves and only allowing six goals. The win pushed UC's record above .500, making it 4-3 overall prior to the start of conference play.
 
Handy Hanlon: John Hanlon (Coconut Creek, FL/St. John Paul Academy) is currently tied for most assists on the team with 11 so far in his senior campaign. He currently owns sixth in the Empire 8 conference rankings in assists per game, averaging 1.83 a match.
 
Fantastic Freshman: Freshman James Daniele (Pleasantville, NY/Pleasantville) currently leads the team with 21 points. Through the first seven games of his collegiate career he has tallied 10 goals and 11 assists. Daniele is averaging 1.53 assists per game, good for ninth in the conference.
 
Between The Pipes: Ryan Boshart (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) and Harrison Bower (Northport, NY/Kings Park) have split time for the Pioneers this season thus far. They have combined for a 10.71 goal allowed per game average and a .556 save percentage through seven games. Bower has made 51 saves in four starts, while Boshart has 43 stops in three starts.
 
Taking It On The Road: The Pioneers will play on the road for the fifth time this season on Saturday. They are 2-2 in four previous road games at this point in the year.
 
Scouting Stevens: Stevens comes into the game with a 6-2 overall mark for the season, which includes a close 19-17 loss to #4/4 Tufts on March 9th. The team is currently on a three game winning streak after recently defeating #14/15 Christopher Newport University 14-9 on the road. The Ducks are the defending Empire 8 champions, finishing with a record of 18-3 last year.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers return home on Wednesday, March 27th to take on Oswego State. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.