ROCHESTER, NY - For the first time since 2013, the Utica University men's soccer team will play for the Empire 8 championship after outlasting the top-seeded St. John Fisher University Cardinals 4-2 in penalty kicks in the conference semifinals. 
 
Fisher took an early lead in the 5th minute on its first attempt of the night. The Cardinals put the ball in the corner of the box which drew Foti Xidias (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) out while the opposite attacker cut through to receive the pass and give Fisher the 1-0 advantage. 
 
From there, Utica fired off 10 shots throughout the first half, many of which sailed high over goal. The Pioneers failed to even the score by halftime while out-shooting the Cardinals 10-3 since allowing the early goal. 
 
The Pioneer defense continued to wreak havoc on the Fisher attack while the offense awaited an opportunity to strike. That opportunity came in the 63rd minute following a caused turnover by the Utica defense. Cody Baker-Green (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) advanced the ball past midfield before finding an open Byamungu Mugushu (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) across the field. After a pin-point dish off the foot of Baker-Green, Mugushu converted from up close to even the score at 1-1 with 27 minutes to play. 
 
The sides battled throughout the second half until regulation proved to not enough as the game headed into overtime with the score 1-1. 
 
In the first overtime, Utica had three shot attempts to one by Fisher however, the game shifted into a second extra frame as neither side converted. With the fog coming in heavy, the second overtime played out much like the first with the sides failing to score which forced the semifinal match to be decided in penalty kicks. 
 
Baker-Green lined up first for the Pioneers and converted while Fisher answered on its first attempt even PK's 1-1. On Utica's second attempt, Noah Nassberg (Naples, FL/Gulf Coast) fired the ball past the Cardinals goalkeeper while Xidias denied the home team on its second attempt for a 2-1 edge. 
 
Brady Barnard (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) was denied on Utica's third PK before Xidias made another save on Fisher's third as the Pioneers remained ahead 2-1 entering the fourth attempt. Brady Maloney (Ellisburg, NY/Bellville Henderson) snuck the ball under the goalkeeper's arms on a crucial shot for the Pioneers to take a 3-1 advantage. 
 
Fisher responded on its fourth attempt also to set up a decisive attempt by Mugushu. With thick fog still in the air, Mugushu fooled the out-stretched goalie to end PK's at 4-2 and send the Pioneers to the championship. 
 
On the night, Utica outshot Fisher 22-6 including 11-4 on goal. Mugushu, Nassberg and Baker-Green combined for 16 of the Pioneers' shots prior to penalty kicks. In goal, Xidias made three saves including a crucial one in the second overtime to help force the game into PK's. 
 
Utica (9-8-1, 4-4-1 Empire 8) will travel to Buffalo, NY on Saturday to battle Medaille University in the Empire 8 Conference Championship. Utica and Medaille played to a 2-2 draw on September 24 from Pioneer Field in Utica.