UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's soccer team is set for its final regular season Empire 8 Conference matchup on Wednesday, October 30 against the Keuka College Wolves at home, with a game time set for 4pm. This is the Pioneers final chance to secure a spot in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament, with final bids and seeding to be determined after the completion of Wednesday's slate.
Follow Along: Live video can be found on the Empire 8 Network, and live stats can be found here.
Last Time Out: The team fell in its second to last match of the regular season against Empire 8 Conference newcomer SUNY Brockport by a score of 2-0 Saturday evening. Bella Noble (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) and Amber Piersma (Cassville, NY/Mount Markham) were the only two Pioneers to record a shot in the contest. Goalkeeper Emily Duro (Wappinger Falls, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) made five saves in the effort. The first half would see Utica be the ones to get in on the shot count first, recording the first shot of the game off the foot of Bella Noble (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) in the eighth minute. Less than four minutes later, Brockport would break open the scoring, squeezing one past Duro to take the lead 1-0. Brockport would continue its offensive pressure on the Pioneers, recording five more shots in the remainder of the opening frame. The second half would see Brockport get its offense going early, recording the first shot of the half in the 51st minute. Seven minutes later, Brockport would squeak another past Duro to double its lead on the Pioneers at 2-0. Utica would allow the Golden Eagles four more opportunities in the remainder of half before Amber Piersma (Cassville, NY/Mount Markham) would rifle one off as a last stitch effort that would go just wide of the net in the 89th minute.
Where We Stand: To clinch a berth into the Empire 8 Conference tournament, Utica will need to win against Keuka and have both Elmira and Hartwick lose or tie to earn a postseason berth. With a win and both an Elmira and Hartwick loss, Utica can finish as high as seventh in the conference. The Pioneers hold head-to-head tiebreakers against Alfred, and in the event of a three-way tie between Elmira and Hartwick, the Pioneers would take the eighth seed in the tournament, eliminating the Hawks and Soaring Eagles from playoff contention.
Pioneer Presence: As a team, Utica has scored 22 goals this season, and has allowed 23 goals to opponents for a differential of -0.06. The Pioneers have registered 186 shots, averaging 11.12 shots per game. Of those 186 shots, 98 have fallen on goal, for an average of 5.76 shots on goal per game. Pioneer goalkeepers have combined for a 1.35 goals against average this season, allowing the fifth least goals to opponents in the conference with 23. Utica has made 68 saves this season for a .744 save percentage, averaging four saves per game. Utica has also registered five shutouts this season.
Scouting the Wolves: The Keuka College Wolves have posted a 1-12-2 regular season record, and with a 0-8-2 record in conference play, the Wolves have been eliminated from playoff contention. Keuka has scored 14 goals this season, with three of those coming off the foot of Shayla Vetter who has netted four this season. Kelsey Davis has dished out two assists this season for the team lead. Sam Bates has been the team's top shot taker with 29, but has been unable to find the back of the net more than twice this season. Goalkeeper Elianna Wilder has posted a 2.54 goals against average this season allowing 38 goals. Of 259 shots faced by Wilder, she has stopped 106 of them, resulting in a .736 save percentage. Keuka has allowed opponents the second most goals in the conference this season, allowing over two and a half goals per game to opponents, resulting in the Wolves falling by over one and a half goals per game. All time, the Pioneers are 7-7-2 against the Wolves, and are 1-3-1 at home. Over the team's last four matchups the Pioneers are 2-0-2, with Utica taking last season's matchup by a score of 5-1.
Up Next: The Pioneers will find out their fate after the completion of Wednesday's games, when final seeding for the Empire 8 Conference Tournament will take place.
