ROCHESTER, NY - The Utica University field hockey team gave the top-seeded St. John Fisher Cardinals all they had in the Empire 8 Semifinals. However, it was the Cardinals who fended off the feisty Pioneers with a 1-0 win to advance to the Empire 8 Championship on Saturday. 
 
The lone goal came at the 13 minute mark of the 1st quarter off a rebound by Fisher's Mary Kate McPhee. The only blemish set aside; Hannah Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls) played nearly lights-out in her second career postseason start in cage for Utica as she made nine saves. Nicole Servider (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) came up with a defensive save as well. 
 
In all, Fisher outshot Utica 16-5 and 10-4 on goal. The Cardinals also drew 16 penalty corners to the Pioneers' seven. Despite this, Utica held strong defensively and did not allow any damage off of Fisher's 16 attempts. 
 
The Pioneers had an excellent opportunity late in the 2nd quarter. With Shannon Jedreicich (Deer Park, NY/Half Hollow Hills East) lined up for a penalty corner with 55 seconds left in the half, the ball found its way to Riley Cosimeno (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) who's shot went just wide as the game moved into half with the regular season champion Cardinals ahead 1-0. 
 
Fisher controlled their offensive zone for much of the first half of the 3rd quarter, registering a pair of shots and drawing two corners. However, a wide shot and one blocked by a Pioneer defender left the game at 1-0. 
 
Tides turned towards Utica's attack in the final five minutes of action in the 3rd. The team had five looks off corners, but each were denied by the Cardinals' defense. Jedreicich had a look that amounted into a defensive save by Rileigh Luste of Fisher before her other shot with 30 seconds to go was saved by goalie Sophia Trozzi. 
 
The Cardinals controlled much of the 4th quarter with eight shots and nine corners over 13:30 of the 15 minutes. With the game on the line, Hannah Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls) remained poised and refused to allow anything past her to keep the contest within striking distance. The only shot attempt by the Pioneers came with 15 seconds left in the game as Alyssa Pisano's (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) attempt was stopped by Trozzie to seal the game. 
 
Utica ends its season 7-11 overall while having made its fifth consecutive Empire 8 Tournament appearance, as well as its third straight trip to the semifinals.