UTICA, NY- The Utica University used 10 second half goals to pull away from visiting SUNY New Paltz in non-conference action Thursday afternoon.  The final score was 16-12 in favor of the Pioneers.
 
The teams traded goals in the first quarter but a Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) tally with 45 seconds left gave Utica a 4-3 edge after the opening frame.  New Paltz battled back to outscore the Pioneers 3-2 in the second stanza to send the game into halftime tied 6-6. 
 
The third quarter was more of the same as neither team led by more than one point and the teams remained tied 10-10 heading into the final frame.  Utica scored three straight goals, one each from Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Ashley Guerra (Ionia, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima ), and Katie Crofoot (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) to gain control early in the fourth quarter, but the Hawks responded with a pair of their own to cut the deficit to one with just 6:17 remaining. 
 
Utica regained control with back-to-back unassisted goals by Crofoot and Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and a tally by Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) with 10 seconds remaining sealed the victory for the Pioneers.
 
Senior Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) led Utica with five points on three goals and two assists. Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Ashley Guerra (Ionia, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima ), and Katie Crofoot (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) each netted three goals. Addison Green (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) had one goal and one assist as well. 
 
The Pioneers return to action on Saturday as they travel to Manhattanville.  Game time is 10 a.m.