UTICA, NY- The Utica University women's lacrosse team hits the field for the first time this season as it travels to Oswego State for a non-conference contest on Saturday.  Game time is scheduled for 12 p.m.
 
LOOKING BACK: The 2021 season resulted in the Pioneers finishing with a 9-6 overall record and a 4-2 mark in the Empire 8. Utica qualified for the playoffs for the third year in a row, earning the No. 3 seed in the E8 Tournament.  The Pioneers hosted a conference tournament game for the first time in program history, downing Keuka 20-4 in the first round of the E8 Tournament.  Utica lost a heartbreaker to host Nazareth College 9-8 in the Empire 8 Conference semifinal.
 
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE: The 2022 women's lacrosse season features 16 regular season matchups, six of which will come against Empire 8 Conference foes. For non-conference opponents, the Pioneers will face Oswego State, Plattsburgh State, Clarkson University, SUNY New Paltz, Manhattanville College, Morrisville State, RPI, SUNY Canton, Hamilton College and cross-town rival SUNY Poly. Utica's conference schedule features familiar foes St. John Fisher College, Hartwick College, Russell Sage College, Alfred University, Keuka College and Nazareth College.
 
ON THE SIDELINES: Head Coach Kristin St. Hilaire returns for her 15th season as the head coach for the Utica University women's lacrosse team. St. Hilaire is the program's all-time winningest coach as she has compiled a 118-85 overall record to go along with a 50-49 record in the highly competitive Empire 8 Conference. She has coached eight IWLCA All-Region selections, and has had a winning record in each of the last ten seasons with the program. Hali Vandermeulen was hired as an athletic assistant for the women's lacrosse team in the summer of 2021. Vandermeulen was a standout goalie all four years for the Pioneers.  She ranks first in Utica's career record book with 28 wins and she is second in career saves (368) and career save percentage (.506).  Vandermeulen is also Utica's single-season record holder in wins (12) and save percentage (.559).
 
WEARING THE "C": Graduate student Sydney Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and seniors Addison Green (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) and Kelsey Trainor (Wallkill, NY/Valley Central) will serve as co-captains this season. This marks the second straight season where Scaccia and Trainor will serve as team captains. Scaccia is the active leader in games played as she has suited up for 53 games in her lacrosse career at Utica. Green has played in 36 games for the Pioneers and has totaled 38 career points (31 goals, seven assists), while Trainor has played in 34 games and will provide veteran leadership on the defensive end.
 
LOCAL LEADERS: Senior Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and junior Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) led the team in points last season. Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had 62 total points (42 goals, 20 assists) while DeCondo had 50 points (41 goals, nine assists). Scaccia and DeCondo were each All-Conference selections last season, with Scaccia earning first team nods and DeCondo being named to the second team.  The duo played high school lacrosse together at nearby Whitesboro, along with Sydney Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Addison Green (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro), Abigail Gerling (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and freshman Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro ).  Senior Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) meanwhile is also a local product as she hails from Verona, NY. Rossi has collected 19 points in her career. 
 
INSTANT IMPACT: Now-sophomores Aana Blaszka (Hampstead, NH/Pinkerton Academy) and Devin Ryan (Orchard Park, NY/Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart) were the only two freshmen on the Pioneers to start in all 15 games last season.  Blaszka was a second team All-Conference selection after she collected 30 ground balls, and finished second on the team in caused turnovers (18).  Ryan meanwhile chipped in with 15 points on 10 goals and five assists and she also was third on the team with 29 draw controls. 
 
PROTECTING THE CAGE: Utica returns two of its goalies from last season in senior Claire Frier (Lafayette, NY/Lafayette) and sophomore Shaylynn Palmer (Kirkville, NY/East Syracuse Minoa).  Frier saw the bulk of work last year as she started all 15 games for Utica, compiling a 9.65 goals against average en route to earning All-Conference accolades. Palmer meanwhile played in nine games and had a 3.95 goals against average. 
 
EXPERIENCED LINEUP: Utica has 23 returning players on the roster this season, all of whom have gotten game experience.  Sophomores Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) played in all 15 games, while starting four, and Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd) and Katie Crofoot (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) each appeared in 14 games one year ago.  Mara Cunningham (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury), Tracy Moreno (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove), and Carly Fine (Bayside, NY/Bayside) each played in eight games, while Nicole Cusanelli (Brewster, NY/Brewster), Megan Hourican (Staten Island, NY/Curtis), and Abigail Gerling (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) combined for 18 games played. Delaney Dunham (Auburn, NY/Jordan Elbridge), Brianna Colley (Staten Island, NY/Petrides), and Ginamarie Pizza (Maywood, NJ/Bergen Tech) will also provide veteran depth on the defensive end.  Additionally, junior Daniela Muscari (Millbrook, NY/Millbrook) is back and will look to have an extended role as she played in all four games as a freshman before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
NEW FACES: Utica brought in four newcomers to the squad this year.  Graduate transfer Ashley Guerra (Ionia, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima ) is expected to make her presence felt as she scored 65 goals and added 34 assists in 51 games played at Division I Butler University.  Senior Deanna Rosato (Utica, NY/Notre Dame) will provide depth on the defensive end and freshmen Morgan Madore (Higganum, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) and Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro ) will also battle for playing time. 
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Following Saturday's tilt, the Pioneers will return home to host Plattsburgh State on Wednesday for their home opener.  Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.