UTICA, NY - The Utica College women's lacrosse team wraps up the regular season Saturday, as it travels to Houghton College. Game time is scheduled for 12 p.m.
 
Last Time Out: The Pioneers held on for an 11-10 win over SUNY Canton in non-conference action on Tuesday... Kaitlynn Palmer (Verona, NY/VVS) led the Pioneers with three goals, including the game-winner with 2:47 remaining in regulation to lift Utica to the win… Senior Katlyn Scarpinella (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) and freshman Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) added two goals of their own... Goaltender Hali Vandermeulen (Walden, NY/Valley Central) had 13 saves in the win, including two big stops on free position attempts in the final two minutes of regulation.
 
Victorious Vandermeulen: With her win over Canton on Tuesday, Hali Vandermeulen (Walden, NY/Valley Central) set a new single-season record for wins in goal with 11… She is also tied with Pioneer Hall of Famer Shelby Barbay '12 for career wins in the cage with 26… Vandermeulen currently ranks ninth nationally with a .551 save percentage and she is fourth in goals against average (8.11).
 
A Look at the Standings: With one game to play in the Empire 8 schedule, the Pioneers currently sit in a three-way tie for second place with Nazareth and Stevens, all with conference records of 5-2. Utica has clinched a spot in the postseason for the second year in a row.  Depending on this weekend's results, Utica will have either the second, third, or fourth seed in the E8 tournament. 
 
Leading the Way: Senior Katlyn Scarpinella (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) leads UC with 46 points on the year… She has 27 goals and 19 assists, which rank second on the squad in both categories… Sophomore Lauren Wolff (Peabody, MA/Peabody) leads the team with 22 assists and she also has 12 goals to her credit.
 
Don't Pass on Palmer: Junior Kaitlynn Palmer (Verona, NY/VVS) has been on a tear for the Pioneers this spring, leading the team with 32 goals so far... Palmer also has a team-best four game-winning goals. 
 
Scouting Houghton: Houghton comes into this game with a 5-9 record overall, and a 3-4 record in the Empire 8 conference... Utica College is 6-0 against Houghton all time dating back to 2013…. Last year, the Pioneers won 19-6… Katie McDowell (Wynantskill, NY/Averill Park) led the way with four goals, while Stephanie Husnay (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had a team-high five points (two goals, three assists) and Kaitlynn Palmer (Verona, NY/VVS) finished with four points (two goals, two assists). 
 
Looking Ahead: This is the last game of the 2019 regular season. The Empire 8 championships will take place on the campus of St. John Fisher, and the Pioneers will wait to find out who they will be playing in the semifinals on Saturday.