UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's lacrosse team bested Empire 8 Conference foe Alfred University by a score of 21-9 on Saturday afternoon. 
 
Leading the charge once again for the Pioneers was sophomore Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), who tied her career high single game goals with six. Not too far behind her was Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), who tallied five goals and two assists to make for a seven point outing. Katie Crofoot (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) recorded her second hat trick of the year, and the duo of Alexis Alteri (Clinton, NY/Clinton) and Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) each tallied two goals. Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd), Abigail Gerling (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), and Belicia Biette (Troy, NY/Columbia) rounded out the scoring for the Pioneers tallying one apiece. 
 
As a unit, the Pioneers outshot the Saxons 35-26 with 27 of the Pioneer shots falling on goal. In goal, Breese Burlingame (Binghamton, NY/Northfield Mount Hermon) made 10 saves. 
 
Utica jumped out to a 4-0 lead less than five minutes into the opening frame, off individual efforts from Stuhlman, Pisano, Drell, and DeCondo. The Pioneers would hold on to the momentum for the remainder of the first quarter and not let Alfred within four goals. 
 
The Pioneers would pad their lead going into the second quarter to go up 12-3 with 8:37 left in the frame and would not let their foot off the gas for the rest of the contest. 
 
Utica, 8-6 (4-2 Empire 8) will hit the road this week and travel to Canton to take on the SUNY Canton Kangaroos on Wednesday at 4 p.m. before traveling to Keuka to take on the Wolves and close out conference and regular season play at 1 p.m. on Saturday.