UTICA, NY- The Utica University men's lacrosse team will host Keuka College on Saturday, April 22 at 1 p.m.
 
Follow Along: Those who cannot attend the away game in Keuka, can follow live stats and video at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/keukaathletics/. 
 
Last Time Out: Connor Costanza (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) had a season-high three goals in the game. Sam Serrano (Stone Ridge, NY/Roundout Valley) notched one goal and dished out five assists. John Spoto (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) and Nolan Shea (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) each had two goals and one assist. Evan Grobsmith (Elbridge, NY/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) , Kevin O'Brien-Bruno (Goshen, NY/Don Bosco), Luke Rinaudo-Concessi (Babylon, NY/West Babylon) and Steven Queen (Huntington, NY/Huntington) each found the back of the net twice. Rajveer Singh (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor), Josh Bennet, Zach Shaler (Utica, NY/Whitesboro), Jonathan Chilinski (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook), Michael Milankovic (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park), Alec Valenti (Haverhill, MA/Haverhill) and Noah Erickson (Auburn, NY/Auburn) each buried one goal. Landen Frey (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley) had one goal and one assist. Patrick Oswald (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) started between the pipes in the first half only facing two shots. Freshman Jake Bowen (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) and Sophomore Owen Mix (Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) also saw time splitting the third and fourth quarter. The Pioneers took a 20-1 commanding lead in the first half and never looked back. Costanza was shooting lights out in the first half scoring three goals on three shots. In the second half, the team tacked on another five goals and won the game in dominating fashion. Utica outshot Medaille 50-to-8 which ultimately separated the teams apart. 
 
Where We Stand: The Pioneers rank fifth in the Empire 8 and have two more conference games left before playoffs begin. These next two matchups will be crucial, if the team wins-out they have a chance of reaching the postseason. 
 
D' Middies: The disruptive duo of Michael Mecca (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) and Kevin O'Brien-Bruno (Goshen, NY/Don Bosco) has been lights out on both face-off wing play and on 6v6 defensive sets. They have combined for 54 ground balls on the season and have caused a total of 18 turnovers. The addition of both players in the 2023 season has given the team a boost on the offensive side of the ball as well, combining for 14 points. Mecca has recorded a ground ball in 10 out of 14 contests while O'Brien-Bruno has picked one up in 12 out of 14 games and sits third on the team in caused turnovers. 
 
Down Low: The trio of Ethan Brown (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks), Chase Rorick (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima) and Gianpaul Cooper (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) have been fierce down-low. They are ranked fourth in the Empire 8 with a .758 penalty-kill percentage and fourth in clear percentage going .766 percent. The three players rank in the top-six on the team with 109 ground balls while Brown ranks sixth in the conference with 52 himself. Rorick is having his best season starting in all 15 games, scooping up a ground ball in 10 out of 12 contests. Cooper has had a great freshman season stepping up starting in each game getting reps on the face-off wing as a Long-stick middie and down-low, he also has tallied a ground ball in all but one game. 
 
Scouting The Wolves: Keuka is 5-5 overall and 0-4 in the Empire 8. The team won their first 5 out of 6 matchups. Most recently the team fell to Alfred University 20-8. Devon Gerhardt has started in all 10 games and leads the team with 46 points. He is leading the conference in assists averaging 2.6 per game and sits in seventh with 22 goals. Over the teams last three contest's he has recorded 13 points. Brandon MacDonell leads the team with 22 goals and shots with 101. Nicholas Pipher and Kyle Murphy round off the ground with 22 points each. Senior Goalie Dylan Hoad has started all 10 games and ranks third in the conference with a .497 save percentage. 
 
Up Next: The team will travel to Alfred University Saturday, April 29 at 1 p.m. in their final regular season game.