UTICA, NY - The Utica University Women's Lacrosse team left little to chance in handing E8 rival Sage its first conference loss of the season on Wednesday. The Pioneers opened the scoring with an eight goal first quarter barrage, and did everything they needed to do to keep the Gators at bay as they wrapped up an Empire 8 win by a 19-6 score at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. 

Utica improves to 7-2 overall, and 2-1 in the Empire 8 Conference. Sage falls to 2-1 in league play, while maintaining a 5-6 overall record. 

Katie Crofoot (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) led the Pioneers with a career-high four goals and has six goals in her last two outings. Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Ashley Guerra (Ionia, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima ) had three goals apiece, with DeCondo netting a hat trick in consecutive outings. Guerra had three assists as well for a six point game. Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd) each marked the goal column twice, while Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro ) netted her first career goal. Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) logged five points on a goal and four assists. Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) scored twice while controlling five draws. Carly Fine (Bayside, NY/Bayside), Devin Ryan (Orchard Park, NY/Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart), and Addison Green (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) added a goal each. 

DeCondo had a team-best four ground balls and three caused turnovers to pace the defensive side of the game. The Pioneers manufactured fourteen turnovers and held the Gators to just 12 clears on 22 attempts. 

In goal, Claire Frier (Lafayette, NY/Lafayette) made five saves to earn the win, while Shaylynn Palmer (Kirkville, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) turned aside one shot in relief. 

Grace Hines led Sage with a hat trick. Madeline Butta made 11 saves in the loss. 

The Pioneers opened play with an eight goal string in the first 8:24 of play to obtain a commanding lead. Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) opened the floodgates with a free position goal, while Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), and Ashley Guerra (Ionia, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima ) scored twice each as the Pioneers established an unassailable advantage. 

Sage scored four of the next five goals to trail 9-4, but the Pioneers chained together four goals, two from Crofoot, to take a 13-4 lead into the half. 

From there, the Pioneers maintained control with four goals in the third quarter, and two more in the fourth quarter to finish off a 19-6 conference win. 

Utica continues conference play on Saturday at Alfred University. The game is set for 4 p.m.