UTICA, NY- The Utica University women's lacrosse team pulled away with 10 second-half goals to come away with a 15-11 win over visiting SUNY Canton in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon.
 
Canton controlled play for the majority of the first half as the Roos jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first three minutes of play and went on to take a 7-5 lead into halftime.  Senior Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) helped keep Utica in the game in the first half as she netted three goals, including one with five seconds remaining and added an assist to keep Utica's deficit to just two. 
 
Utica's halftime adjustments seemed to pay off as the Pioneers netted six goals in the third quarter and added four more scores over the final 15 minutes to come away with their fifth win of the season. 
 
Rossi finished with a team-high four goals and six points, while Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) chipped in with three goals and a helper.  Senior Ashley Guerra (Ionia, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima ) aided the offense with two goals and two assists to her credit, and Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd) and Addison Green (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) each netted two goals with Drell adding an assist as well.
 
Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Katie Crofoot (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) also found the back of the net one time each.  Scaccia finished with a season-high 10 draw controls.  She needs just four more to become only the third player in program history to collect 200 draw controls in a career.
 
Sophomore Aana Blaszka (Hampstead, NH/Pinkerton Academy) had a standout game as she scooped up a career-high seven ground balls and she tied for the team-lead with three caused turnovers.
 
Claire Frier (Lafayette, NY/Lafayette) finished with four saves as she improved to 5-1 on the year.  Her counterpart, Madison Leary made 17 saves in the loss for Canton.
 
The Pioneers (5-1) open Empire 8 Conference play Saturday as they travel to St. John Fisher College.  Game time is 1 p.m.