UTICA, NY – Pioneer field hockey was back in action on Saturday, taking on a tough New Paltz team in the final game of the 2024 Utica University Tournament. Utica battled for all 60 minutes against a Hawks squad that, in 2023, was 1 goal away from becoming the SUNYAC Champions. Despite the strong opponent, and constant rain, the Pioneers fought hard but eventually fell to New Paltz by a score of 8-3.
 
Madison Ranalli (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) picked right up from where she left off last season, by recording 2 defensive saves just before halftime to keep the Pioneers within reach. Ranalli, the 2-time NCAA defensive saves title holder, is already off to a good start this season in her quest for an illustrious statistical three-peat.
 
The Utica offense looked very comfortable and threatening for a good part of the matchup, finding multiple opportunities to drive past the New Paltz defense and finish their goals off in strong fashion.
 
Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) got on the board first for the Pioneers, receiving a through-pass from Jocelyn Spiezio (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) and launching it home.
 
Pisano wasn't finished adding her name to the scoresheet after just 1 goal though, as she threaded the needle on her own excellent through-pass, assisting Lauren Durfey (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) for Utica's 2^nd score.
 
Durfey, a freshman, placed herself in a perfect spot to receive Pisano's pass and guide it in for her first career Pioneer goal. Durfey's goal energized the Utica offense, who went toe-to-toe with the Hawks for the entirety of the third quarter, with each team letting off 3 shots apiece in the frame.
 
Durfey's goal also began a second half trend that was a very welcome sight for Pioneer fans, with multiple freshmen making an impact in only their 2^nd game. Joining in on the rookies' rally were Pioneer newcomers Mia Benincasa (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls) and Ismiah ChinQuee (Freehold, NJ/Freehold), who both logged productive minutes in the contest.
 
ChinQuee stepped in to begin the second half, finding a save and also disrupting multiple Hawks attacks.
 
Benincasa on the other hand, was solely responsible for the final Pioneer goal, dribbling the ball past a very experienced and tested Hawks defense and sending it past the opposing goalkeeper for her first career goal in the orange and blue.
 
A young and energized Utica attack, paired with an experienced defense will provide the Pioneers with some good momentum as they hit the road for 4-straight away matchups over the course of September.
 
The Pioneers will return home at the end of September for a long-awaited showdown with Empire 8 foes St. John Fisher in a rematch of last year's conference semifinals. That matchup will take place at Gaetano Stadium on September 28^th.