UTICA, NY - The Utica University field hockey team season finale showdown between the Pioneers and the Russell Sage College Gators would favor the Pioneers in dominant fashion, sealing the envelope on its season with a 7-0 win Saturday afternoon. 

Saturday would be one for the books for the Pioneers, as the team would combine for 44 shots in the contest, breaking the team's single game shots record that has stood steadfast since 2013. Leading the way for the Pioneers in the shot column was Mackenzie Mix (Camden, NY/Camden), who's 13 shots puts her tied for third all time in single game shots. Six different Pioneers would find the back of the net, Jocelyn Spiezio (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich), Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) (2), Mia Benincasa (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls), Mix, Lauren Durfey (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) and Samantha Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls) would be the ones to get it done for Utica. Mix, Pisano, Young, and Spiezio would all be the ones to lend a helping hand on the scoring efforts. Mix would lead the Pioneers in the shot column with 13 followed by Pisano with eight. Benincasa would record six shots, and Young would record five. The pair of Spiezio and Durfey would each record a trio of shots, the pair of Deanna Jackson (Weedsport, NY/Weedsport) and Kassidy Gloude (Blossvale, NY/Camden) would have a pair of shots each, and both Madison Ranalli (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) and Alanna Fragapane (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) would each tally a shot of their own in the contest. Goalkeeper Hannah Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls) would not have to record a single save in her second shutout of the season. 

Utica would come out of the gate firing, with Mix recording the first shot of the contest less than a minute into the opening frame. From there it would be all gas, no brakes for the Pioneers as Jocelyn Spiezio (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) would net the first goal of the game, and her first goal of the season, off a feed from Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) less than four minutes into the game. Two minutes later, it would be the same two that would combine for the scoring effort, this time Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) would find the back of the net on a feed from Jocelyn Spiezio (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich). Utica would continue its offensive onslaught six minutes later, with Mia Benincasa (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) finding the back of the net for her ninth goal of the season from Samantha Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls). With time expiring in the opening frame, Mackenzie Mix (Camden, NY/Camden) would prevail fir the Pioneers, closing out the frame with a 4-0 lead. 

In the second quarter, the Pioneers would once again strike first, recording a shot within the first minute of the frame off the stick of Mix. In the second frame, the Pioneers would record 13 shots, none of which would be able to find the back of the net, to the credit of both the Sage defense and netminder, who recorded 23 saves in the contest. The Pioneers would be sent into the half maintaining their 4-0 lead. 

Coming out of the break, the Pioneers would continue their offensive onslaught, recording Utica's first shot of the third frame four minutes in courtesy of Pisano, that would go wide of the Sage netminder. Four minutes later, the Pioneers would strike again, courtesy of Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) who was dished the ball by Lauren Durfey (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) to bring the score to 5-0 and completely out of Gator reach. Just over a minute later, it would be Lauren Durfey (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) that would find the back of the net for the Pioneers off a feed from Mix to bring the score to 6-0. Utica would notch six more shots in the remainder of the frame, but would come up empty handed, with Utica going into the final frame with a 6-0 lead.

The final 15 would open with Durfey putting her stick to the ball and trying to find the back of the net within the first 30 seconds of the frame but would come up scoreless. Nine minutes into the final frame, Samantha Young (Jordanville, NY/Little Falls) put one in the back of the net by herself for her first goal of the season, to completely put the Gators on ice and the victory in the hands of the Pioneers. 

Utica (4-12, 3-6 Empire 8) has been eliminated from Empire 8 Conference Tournament contention and has completed its season.