UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's lacrosse team will be on the road this Saturday for the team's last regular season conference game as the Pioneers head to Rochester to take on Nazareth College. Game time is set for 2:30 p.m.

Last Time Out: The Pioneers cruised to their sixth straight win as they downed host SUNY Poly 20-2 in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon. It was all Pioneers from the very beginning, as the team scored two goals within the first minute of play, and kept the foot on the pedal scoring 11 goals in the first quarter. Utica used 12 different goal scorers in the win. Graduate student Ashley Guerra (Ionia, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima ) led all Pioneers with four goals, while sophomore Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd) had three goals. Junior Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and sophomore Tracy Moreno (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) finished with two goals and one assist apiece and senior Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had two goals to her credit. Senior Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) added to her 13-game point streak with a goal and two assists, while Addison Green (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro), Devin Ryan (Orchard Park, NY/Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart), Morgan Madore (Higganum, CT/Haddam-Killingworth), Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro ), Katie Crofoot (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) and Abigail Gerling (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had the remaining goals for the Pioneers. Sophomore Shaylynn Palmer (Kirkville, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) totaled a career-high 10 saves in 45 minutes of work.
 
Clinched Playoff Berth: With the win against the Keuka College Wolves on April 23, the Utica women's lacrosse team clinched a berth in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. This marks the fourth straight playoff berth for Utica in the Empire 8. The winner of Saturday's game will clinch the No. 2 seed in the Empire 8 Tournament, while the loser will fall to the No. 3 seed. The Pioneers will play Nazareth again in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament that begins on Saturday, May 7 in Rochester.
 
Offensive Explosion: During Utica's six-game win streak, the team has had an offensive explosion, racking up 117 goals over the past five games.  Due to the increased offensive production, Utica now has nine players with double-digit points this season, including seven players with double-digit goals.
 
Scaccia Chasing History: Senior Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) has now reached 233 draw controls in her Pioneer career, placing her second all-time. She needs just 13 more draw controls to move into first place all-time.  In addition to draw controls, Scaccia is currently third in Utica's career record book with 172 points.  On the season, she ranks fourth on the team with 38 points, including having the team lead with 35 goals. 
 
DeCondo Can: Junior Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) has been one of the best players on the team each year of her career, and that has continued on this season as well. DeCondo currently leads the team with 44 points (27 goals, 17 assists) and is just two points from hitting 100 points in her Pioneer career.
 
Leaving Her Mark: In her first season at Utica, graduate student Ashley Guerra (Ionia, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima ) has been on a tear. Guerra is currently second on the squad with 42 points (30 goals, 12 assists) and has scored 19 goals during the Pioneers' six-game winning streak, including nine of those coming over the past two games.
 
Rossi On A Roll: Senior Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) has just recently reached the sixty point mark in her career, and she is currently having the best season as a Pioneer. Rossi is third on the team with 41 points, and her 19 goals and 22 assists are both career-highs. Rossi's roll has continued throughout the season, as she is the only Pioneer to score at least one point in all 13 games this season. The 13-game point streak is the longest of her career.
 
Scouting Nazareth: The Golden Flyers are currently 6-9 (4-1 E8) overall and they are coming off a 16-13 loss to St. Lawrence on Tuesday.  Nazareth is led by Emma States who has been a top two player in the entire conference this season. States has 57 points and 43 goals, which both place her second in the conference. Goaltender Emma Prosak has also been one of the best in the conference, as her 9.65 goals against average and .443 save percentage place her third and fifth in the E8 in those respective categories. The last matchup between the two teams came in the Empire 8 Semifinals last season where Nazareth came from behind and used two late goals to defeat Utica 9-8. Emma States had four goals in that game, including the game tying goal with 9:56 to go in regulation. Utica's Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had a hat trick in the heartbreaking loss.
 
Looking Ahead: Utica will wrap up the regular season season against nationally ranked Hamilton College on Tuesday. Game time is set for 5 p.m. from Clinton, NY.