UTICA, NY - The Utica University field hockey team beat the Medaille University Mavericks 7-1 on Saturday night. The win helped the team clinch its third straight Empire 8 postseason berth excluding the 2021 season.
 
The Pioneers dominated the first quarter and were extremely aggressive to begin the match. Shannon Jedreicich (Deer Park, NY/Half Hollow Hills East) broke through with a goal in the sixth minute to give Utica a quick 1-0 edge. Just two minutes later, Alanna Fragapane (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy ) found the back of the net to increase the lead to 2-0. The team kept being aggressive as Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) scored her second goal of the game in the ninth minute and Utica was leading 3-0 after the first quarter.
 
Utica's offense continued to control the pace of the game and kept possession in the attacking zone. Christina Jackson (Weedsport, NY/Weedsport) and Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) both recorded shots yet could not convert. The team had five shots recorded in the quarter before Fragapane shot high and Pisano recovered her miss and scored to give the Pioneers a 4-0 lead entering the half.
 
To begin the third quarter, Utica kept possession and its aggressive play style. Halfway through the quarter, the teams were battling for possession when Mackenzie Mix (Camden, NY/Camden) was able to steal the ball and run downfield while Fragapane finished with a goal for a 5-0 advantage. The Pioneers led 5-0 after three quarters and were playing wonderfully on offense and defense.
 
The fourth quarter saw the pace slow down and the teams try to stretch the field. In the 54th minute off of a Jedreicich blocked shot, Mix scooped up the ball and put it in the back of the net for her first goal of the game. Just three minutes later, Mix was able to score again for her second goal of the game and the Pioneers would win the game 7-1 as Medaille punched in a goal with just three seconds left.
 
Utica played phenomenally as the team was in control the entire game and scored seven goals on eleven shots on goal. The offense was clicking and led by Jedreicich, Pisano, Mix, and Fragapane while Madison Ranalli (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) helped to keep Medaille in check with a few fine defensive plays. Lyla Cushman (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent) did not see much action as the defense was great, yet recorded two saves during the second half.
 
Utica (7-7, 6-2 Empire 8) will head to face Skidmore College on Wednesday, October 26th at 3:30 pm in a non-conference match-up.