UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's lacrosse team used a strong first half to take down the SUNY Morrisville Mustangs 15-10 on Tuesday evening.
 
Sam Serrano (Stone Ridge, NY/Rondout Valley) became the 12th player in program history to reach 100 career points with his first goal of the day.
 
Sam Serrano (Stone Ridge, NY/Rondout Valley), Ryan Considine (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) and Connor Costanza (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) combined for 19 of the team's 29 points. Serrano keeps shooting the ball at a high rate as he scored five goals on eight shots on goal. He also had three helpers and five ground balls to cap off his season-high eight points. Costanza (2g, 3a), John Spoto (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) (1g, 1a), Caiden Frey (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley) (1g, 2a), Lucas Donahue (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills Ballston Lake) (1g, 1a) and Noah Erickson (Auburn, NY/Auburn) (1g, 2a) tallied at least one point. 15 different players recorded at least one shot on goal.
 
Patrick Oswald (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) notched his fourth win, making five saves. Jake Bowen (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union), Owen Mix (Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) and Max Frenette (Holyoke, MA/Amherst Regional) saw time in the net as well. The defense of Ethan Brown (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks), Chase Rorick (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima), Aaron Bergquist (Brewerton, NY/Central Square), Kevin O' Brien-Bruno and Michael Mecca (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) played exceptional defense on the Mustangs allowing only four goals through three quarters. 
 
Jack Hogan (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst) played lights out at the faceoff X, going 11 for 13 (.846 percent).
 
The team went four for five on its man-up opportunities.
 
Utica struck first 40 seconds into the game as Caiden Frey (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley) found Considine to give Utica an early 1-0 advantage. Serrano would score the team's next three goals in ten minutes as the Pioneers would lead 4-0 with 2:18 to play. Morrisville would strike back with 25 seconds in the first and Utica would head into the second quarter up 4-1.
 
Utica started the second quarter by scoring two quick goals from Considine and Serrano as Utica jumped out to a 6-1 lead. The Pioneers would finish the second on a three-goal run, as the team would head into halftime up 11-2.
 
Morrisville and Utica would combine for five goals in the third quarter, three from Utica and two from Morrisville. Utica would take a 14-4 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
The Mustangs scored six goals in the fourth quarter compared to Utica's one. The Pioneers would hang on and for a 15-10 victory.
 
Utica (4-4, 0-0 Empire 8) travels to Rochester, NY to open up Empire 8 play against Nazareth University on Friday, March 29 at 5 p.m.