UTICA, NY - The Utica College men's soccer team grabbed hold of its fifth victory of the season on Wednesday night. Led by a second half penalty kick goal by Jhonny Theze (Bronx, NY/Claremont International), and a sparkling defensive effort, the Pioneers grinded out a 1-0 victory over visiting SUNY-ESF in a non-conference match at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.

Utica is now unbeaten in a fifth straight match, and has allowed just a single goal in that span. The Pioneers matched their 2018 win total with their fifth of the campaign, while also pitching a fourth straight shutout. The Pioneers are now 5-1-2 in their first eight matches.

Goalkeeper Randy Miksch (Lake Villa, IL/Warren Township) earned the clean sheet with another five save performance. Miksch has turned aside 24 consecutive opposing shots while running his impressive shutout streak to 405:20. He has not allowed a goal since September 8th in a 1-1 draw against Cobleskill.

Utica outshot the Mighty Oaks 18-8 for the evening, and did so by a 8-5 mark on the goal frame. The Pioneers also had nine corner kicks to ESF's two.

Ethan Thomas (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa), Jhonny Theze (Bronx, NY/Claremont International), and Tucker Marvin (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) each attempted three shots for the Pioneers on the night.

The Pioneers brought out a new starting eleven for the match that showcased the team's depth, including the first career starts for Hunter Guertin (Troy, NY/Waterford-Halfmoon), Fred Holmes (Newmarket, NH/Newmarket HS), and LJ Nuzzo (Peru, NY/Peru Central). Holmes logged his first career match after being added to the roster prior to the day's match, and impressed by going the distance with a 90 minute debut.

The match began with a frantic pace that saw both teams trade early chances, but the pace would later change into a defensively minded one. The Pioneers controlled a methodical first half en route to an 8-3 advantage in shots, but could not manufacture a lead against ESF keeper Carmine Tronolone as the half ended at 0-0. Like Miksch, Tronolone also entered the evening's match coming off a string of consecutive shutouts.

As the second half wore on, the Pioneers began to compound pressure with many of the team's top playmakers logging more minutes as the Pioneers searched for victory. One of them was Thomas Muller (Camillus, NY/Bishop Ludden), who had three goals the last time the teams met in 2017. He would sub in during the 62nd minute and help provide the pivotal spark that put the match away.

At the dawning of the 77th minute, the Pioneers were hard at work on the attack when Muller was taken down just inside the ESF 18 yard box, prompting a whistle and the emphatic point to the penalty spot by the referee to signal the award of a penalty kick. Utica put the freshman Theze on his first career penalty chance, and he took advantage with a hard struck shot that bounced down off the crossbar and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 77th minute.

With the advantage in hand, the Pioneers did an exemplary job of protecting Miksch and the team's lead the rest of the way, and Utica continued its excellent run of form with a 1-0 win over the Mighty Oaks at home.

Utica returns to conference action on Saturday as they head to Pittsford, NY to meet St. John Fisher. Match time is slated for 1 p.m.