UTICA, NY - For the first time in program history, the Utica University women's lacrosse program will play for the Empire 8 title. The Pioneers topped the third-seeded Nazareth University Golden Flyers, 18-12, in the Empire 8 Semifinals from Charles A. Gaetano Stadium on Wednesday evening. 
 
The win also set a new single-season program record for victories with 14. 
 
Freshman Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) totaled five goals in what was her first career postseason game. She also registered an assist for a team high six points. Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) and Samantha DeCondo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had three goals each while Kerry Carr (New Hartford, NY/Manhattanville College) added a pair. Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Bella Kolb (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) and Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd) all had one. 
 
Makayla Purdy (Shirley, NY/William Floyd) stopped eight Nazareth shots en route to her first career playoff win in goal. The Pioneers edged the Golden Flyers in draw controls, 17-16, led by G. Stuhlman's six, as well as four from Pisano and three wins by Carr. DeCondo, M. Stuhlman and Aana Blaszka (Hampstead, NH/Pinkerton Academy) were key parts of the Utica defense with seven combined caused turnovers. 
 
Utica came out on fire in the first quarter with six goals to Nazareth's two. M. Stuhlman and Carr scored quickly before Nazareth responded at the 8:08 mark. This led to four unanswered Pioneer goals, two of which by Pisano, to go into the second up by four. 
 
However, Nazareth responded with four straight goals of its own to open the second quarter, making it 6-5 with 8:44 to go in the half. 
 
The Pioneers dug their heels in defensively and didn't allow a single Golden Flyers goal from that point forward in the half. Meanwhile, DeCondo scored at the 6:45 mark before G. Stuhlman notched her first with 2:08 to play in the half. With the clock running down, M. Stuhlman sent Utica into halftime on a high note with a goal with two seconds to go in the half to make it 9-5. 
 
Nazareth came out of the break looking to chip away and did so with back-to-back goals to open the second half. Kolb got Utica on the board in the third with her first of the game at the 10:48 mark. The Golden Flyers scored once more in the quarter before the Pioneers closed it out with three straight to go ahead 13-8 entering the final 15 minutes. 
 
There, Utica tacked on five unanswered goals from the start of the fourth until 5:26 remaining. Carr, Pisano and Jordan Kowalski (Chicopee, MA/Plattsburgh State (NCAA DIII)) each had one over that stretch while M. Stuhlman netted two to build a comfortable 18-9 lead. 
 
The Golden Flyers trimmed their deficit with three straight of their own to close the gap to 18-12. However, the visitors ran out of time to send the Pioneers to the Empire 8 championship game on Saturday. 
 
Utica (14-3, 5-1 Empire 8) will await the winner of top-seeded St. John Fisher University and fourth-seeded Hartwick College in the Empire 8 Championship. If Fisher wins, Utica will travel to Rochester for the league championship on Saturday. The Pioneers will host the championship with a Hartwick win.