UTICA, NY - The Utica University's men's soccer team will host Hobart College on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. The team will then travel to face Keuka College on Saturday at 1 p.m. to begin the final stretch of three straight Empire 8 games to conclude the regular season.
 
Follow Along: Those unable to attend Tuesday's home match can tune in with live video and stats through https://bit.ly/2wtxUV5. Keuka will provide live video and/or stats through https://bit.ly/3lB0j4g. 
 
Last Time Out: The team beat the Elmira College Soaring Eagles 2-1 on Saturday afternoon. The win kept the team in first place in the Empire 8 standings.The Pioneers started the first half quickly with two quick shots by Orin Williams (Mt. Vernon, NY/Sacred Heart) and Byamungu Mugushu (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) within the first five minutes. Just a minute later, Cody Baker-Green (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) fired a terrific shot but was saved by the Elmira goalie. Elmira switched the pace quickly and pressed upfield to score in the 11th minute and grab a 1-0 lead in the contest. The game started to get a bit chippy as both teams received multiple fouls and Elmira was given a yellow card. Utica had a late push at the end of the half yet the score remained 1-0 Elmira. The Soaring Eagles pushed the pace starting the second half with five shots within the first fifteen minutes. The Pioneer defense held strong and was able to deflect a few shots and Foti Xidias (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) made a fine save to keep the game 1-0 Elmira. The game remained physical as both teams received plenty of fouls during the later stages of the game.  In the 70th minute, Noah Nassberg (Naples, FL/Gulf Coast ) sent a scorching shot into the back of the net to even the score at 1-1. In the 80th minute, Utica was pressing hard and got tripped up in the box to earn a penalty kick. Baker-Green was able to convert the penalty kick and give Utica a 2-1 advantage. Elmira pushed heavy and forced three late corners yet the Pioneer defense kept the Soaring Eagles off the board and won the match 2-1. Utica played physical and its offense shined as always. Baker-Green, Mugushu, and Nassberg all posted more than three shots while Baker-Green and Nassberg each recorded a goal. Xidias played terrific in net and tallied four saves. Utica's defense held its own today and limited Elmira's opportunities to score, especially late in the game.
 
Where We Stand: The Pioneers remain in first place in the Empire 8 standings after its thrilling come from behind win over Elmira on Saturday. With just four games left in the regular season, Utica looks to continue playing well and earn points over the final stretch of Empire 8 play against Keuka College, Russell Sage College, and Houghton University. These three teams sport a combined 11-21-6 record with Sage second in the Empire 8. Houghton is in seventh place while Keuka is in tenth. In the last matchup, Utica beat Keuka 3-0 last season and looks to earn another win in what historically has been a tough matchup. The Pioneers' offense remains elite as the team is top-three in the Empire 8 in shots, points, goals and assists. Utica is first with 18.25 shots per game which results in the team averaging 2 goals a game. The firing offense continues to produce and is a major reason for the team's success.
 
Offensive Powerhouse: The Pioneers offense has been terrific all season and continues to produce goals through its playmakers. Utica has Byamungu Mugushu (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes), Cody Baker-Green (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley), and Noah Nassberg (Naples, FL/Gulf Coast ) all in the top-seven in the Empire 8 in shots this season. Baker-Green is second in the Empire 8 with nine goals while Mugushu is tied for fourth with six. Baker-Green, Mugushu, and Brady Barnard (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) are all tied for third in the E8 with four assists and have been key facilitators for the Pioneers. Baker-Green and Mugushu are both top five in points and look to continue their strong seasons as a critical stretch of Empire 8 games begin.
 
A Star in the Making: Freshman Noah Nassberg (Naples, FL/Gulf Coast ) has started to break out over the last few games and show his true potential. The Florida native has now fired eight shots over the last two games and seems to be a key focal point in the offense. Against Hartwick, Nassberg had two fantastic shots as one hit the crossbar and the other required a fantastic save to keep it out of the net. He netted a crucial game-tying goal in the 70th minute against Elmira and helped start the Pioneers' comeback. Nassberg's increased role gives Utica another key playmaker on offense as the team looks to keep the good times rolling.
 
Scouting Hobart: The Statesmen are 6-3-4 this season and 3-1-3 in Liberty League competition. On Saturday the team beat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2-1 to earn another Liberty League win. Hobart is well-balanced as the team has five players with more than five points this season. The Statesmen's top goal scorer is Frederick Madsen who has netted three goals this season including two in the team's recent win over RPI. In net, both Christian Burkhart and Guillermo Castaneda Chang have split time and both sport over a .700 save percentage, two wins, and a shutout.
 
Keuka Preview: The Wolves are 1-8-2 this season and 0-4-2 in Empire 8 contests. In the team's most recent match it lost to Houghton 3-0 in an Empire 8 clash. Keuka's offense is led by Owen Thorpe who has netted three goals this season and one assist. The Wolves have plenty of playmakers as the team has five players who have recorded an assist this season. In net, Carson Smith gets the majority of the minutes and sports a .780 save percentage with 46 saves this season.

Up Next: On Wednesday, October 26 the Pioneers will travel to face Russell Sage College at 7 p.m. under the lights.