ONEONTA, NY - The Utica College women's soccer team opened its season with a convincing win on Friday at the Erinn Brozman Cup hosted by Hartwick College. In their debut match under new head coach Brooke Barbuto, the Pioneers controlled the run of play from beginning to end with two goals in each half en route to a 4-0 win over area rival Morrisville State. The win was Barbuto's first as an NCAA head coach.

The Pioneers got goals from Kierra Caissey (Gardner, MA/Gardner), Carly Craft (Ellenville, NY/Ellenville), Mikayla Blumenstock (Poland, NY/Poland), and Sydney Cook (Waterville, NY/Waterville) in the victory. Goalkeeper Allison Wagner (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) recorded five saves to earn her twelfth career shutout. She continues her pursuit of Melissa Diana's program record for career saves. Wagner now has 424 career saves, placing her just two saves shy of tying Diana's career mark of 426. The Pioneers played with five newcomers in the team's starting eleven.

The Pioneers landed the first blow at the tail end of the 20th minute when a Morrisville foul inside the box put Utica midfielder Kierra Caissey (Gardner, MA/Gardner) on the penalty spot. Caissey converted the ensuing penalty kick to put the Pioneers up 1-0 at 19:56.

A dominant first half possession barrage saw Utica outshoot the Mustangs 13-3, with a 5-2 advantage on target in the opening 45 minutes. That paid dividends into a doubled halftime lead for the blue and orange. Off a free kick in the 41st minute, junior Carly Craft (Ellenville, NY/Ellenville) found the ball on a scramble inside the boxes, and punched it home with a pure finish as Utica earned a 2-0 advantage. Summer Gagnon (Manchester, NH/Manchester) assisted on the goal.

In the second half of action, the Pioneers scored twice more, and newcomer Sydney Cook (Waterville, NY/Waterville) was in the limelight. The transfer from Mohawk Valley Community College first had an assist on Mikayla Blumenstock's (Poland, NY/Poland) first goal of the season in the 67th minute. Cook played a tremendous through ball into the box that left Blumenstock all alone with the keeper, and the senior striker left no doubt about it as she canned the thirteenth goal of her Utica career.

Cook then got in on the scoring act herself. She ended up with a solo chance of her own in the 78th minute, as Gagnon got the ball forward to spring Cook on a breakaway, and Cook delivered an accurate strike to finalize Utica's 4-0 win. She led Utica with four shots on goal in her debut match as a Pioneer. 

In total, the Pioneers outshot the Mustangs 19-10 for the match, and held a 10-5 advantage when it came to getting shots on the frame of the goal.

Utica returns to action again at the Brozman Cup when they meet future Empire 8 opponent Keuka College in Oneonta. Kickoff for the non-conference match is slated for 3 p.m.