UTICA, NY - The Utica Field Hockey team will host Keystone College and Keuka College during a mini-homestand this week at Gaetano Stadium. The Pioneers, after a stretch of games that didn't see them play at home for 28 days, will now host their second and third straight games at ABM Field during this week's action. The Wednesday non-conference matchup against United East rep Keystone will begin at 5:00 PM, while Saturday's Empire 8 bout vs Keuka will tip off at 1:00 PM.
 
Follow Along: You can follow along with this week's action by following the links below, or by following the "stream" and "live stats" links under the schedule tab on our field hockey page. 
 
Vs Keystone College
Stream: https://www.empire8network.com/utica/?B=1147036
Stats: https://uticapioneers.com/sidearmstats/fhockey/summary
 
Vs Keuka College
Stream: https://www.empire8network.com/utica/?B=1147041
Stats: https://uticapioneers.com/sidearmstats/fhockey/summary
 
Last Time Out: The Pioneers finally returned home to Gaetano Stadium this past Saturday for their first action on ABM field in 28 days. In that matchup, Utica Field Hockey welcomed the very team that took them out of last year's Empire 8 Tournament in St. John Fisher.
 
The game was a very closely contested one, with both teams registering over 10 shots in the conference bout. Ultimately, it was the Cardinals who capitalized on their chances, sending the Pioneers to a 4-1 conference defeat despite being outshot by Utica on the day.
 
Utica pelted the Cardinals goalkeeper with shots but couldn't find a couple potentially momentum-changing breakthroughs. The Pioneers put 16 shots on St. John Fisher, with 10 of those being on goal. Despite the powerful pressure that the Pioneer put on display in the game, they only managed to sneak one score across courtesy of Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) near the end of the first half.
 
 
Pisano had the biggest share of chances for Utica, sending in 5 shots, with 3 of them being on goal and 1 of them breaching the cage for the Pioneers' lone score. Pisano's goal occurred just a few moments before halftime and was helped on by Utica Senior Mackenzie Mix (Camden, NY/Camden) who procured an assist on the play.
 
Mix and fellow Pioneer Jocelyn Spiezio each had 3 shots, with the former logging 2 on goal and the latter getting all 3 on goal.
 
Utica also gained 12 corners in the match, 1 less than the Cardinals 13 corner opportunities.
Pisanopalooza: Pioneer veteran Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) Asked major questions of the St. John Fisher defense this past Saturday, sending 3 shots towards goal in the pivotal conference showdown. One of Pisano's attempts found its way through, as she positioned herself in a soft spot within the Cardinals' defense and put away a beautiful pass from running-mate Mackenzie Mix (Camden, NY/Camden) for the Pioneers' lone goal.
 
Pisano now has 2 goals and 2 assists in 7 games so far during the 2024 season. One of the Pioneers' Graduate Students, Pisano has been a premier offensive threat for Utica. The experienced attacker has 30 career goals and 9 career assists in the orange and blue, including a string of 2-consecutive 10+ goal seasons in 2022 and 2023. Pisano is looking to replicate that last feat in 2024 and will look to get hot as the Pioneers enter the heart of Empire 8 play. For Pisano, a Pioneer with over 3,300 minutes in her Utica tenure, the incoming Empire 8 season will be the culmination of an excellent career for the Hopewell Junction native.
 
Pioneer Pressure: Utica had the gas engaged on Saturday against Fisher, logging a season-high for shots and shots on goal as a team with 16 and 10 respectively. The Pioneers were very aggressive in the Cardinals' defensive third, creating numerous chances in front of the opposing cage. The Pioneers were extremely dangerous in the Fisher circle but struggled to find that one last pass or opportunity to finish off their scoring opportunities. In a game with 28 combined shots and 25 combined corners, the decision came down to efficiency, a department in which the Pioneers fell just short. Despite the setback, the Pioneers had a great game plan and nearly perfect execution which will hopefully be a sign of things to come during this week's matches. The Pioneer press will be on this week, and with the veteran presence and youthful energy starting to click, it looks like Utica is beginning to turn the corner at just the right time.
 
The Series - Keystone: The Giants and Pioneers have only met 1 time previous, with their lone matchup occurring last season in a 4-0 decision that went Keystone's way. That lone meeting occurred on the Giants' turf down in La Plume, PA, while this year's battle will be set at Gaetano Stadium.
 
Greeting the Giants: Keystone College will enter Wednesday's contest with a 4-4 overall record in the 2024 season. The Giants play their opponent close more often than not, with four of their eight games being decided by 1 goal, and the remaining four games being 2-goal decisions. Keystone, a representative of the United East Conference, has yet to begin their conference season, with their matchup against the Pioneers serving as their final non-conference test. On September 21st, Keystone notched a 3-1 win over Empire 8 rep Nazareth, a squad that Utica will see in the coming weeks as part of their conference slate.
 
Keystone finished 2023 with a record of 11-6, going 3-0 in their United East matches. The Giants came out on top in the United East Tournament, defeating Lancaster Bible College and Cedar Crest College en-route to a United East Championship and a ticket to the 2023 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Tournament. The Giants were defeated in the first round of the dance by eventual Elite 8 participant Lynchburg.
 
Keystone returned only 1 of its top 4 scorers from their 2023 iteration, with Vicky Mainero suiting up again for the Giants after recording a 12-goal 4-assist campaign just a year ago. Mainero, a Graduate Student, currently has 4 goals so far this season, placing her into a tie at the top of the goal-scoring charts with teammate Jordan Vandermark. Vandermark is an interesting player in her own right, playing 16 games in 2022 before not appearing in 2023. Vandermark has been a big threat in her return to action for Keystone and has been frustrating defenses alongside Mainero in 2024. Angelina Morley holds things down for the Giants on the defensive end, with the Graduate Student from Deposit, NY already having 4 defensive saves in her 8 games this season. Morley has also been a part of the offensive production despite her defensive prowess, as the experienced Giant also has 3 assists on the year. Morley's affinity for offense despite her defensive label may suggest that she is a major target in Keystone's build-up towards the opposing goal. Look for the veteran Morley to get involved in the midfield and attempt to find good passing lanes out of the Giants' defensive third. Hannah Osbahr is Keystone's main goalkeeper and has officially taken over the responsibility of guarding the cage after splitting the honor with former Giant Casey Stratton during 2023. Osbahr has 492 minutes in the cage for Keystone this season and has registered 51 saves alongside a save percentage of 82.3%.
 
The Series - Keuka: The Pioneers have posted a record of 5-0 during their history against Keuka College. They will look to add to that tally on Saturday and continue their success against the Wolves during a streak that began in 2015. The 2023 version of this Empire 8 rivalry saw the Pioneers escape Keuka Park with a 1-0 win over the Wolves thanks to a second quarter score from Mackenzie Mix (Camden, NY/Camden). Saturday will mark the 6th meeting between the two teams and represent the 3rd time that Keuka has visited Gaetano Stadium.
 
Knowing Keuka: The Wolves are 1-6 so far in 2024 and will head to Brockport on Wednesday before traveling to Gaetano on Saturday. They are 1-1 in the Empire 8 with a 5-1 win over Russell Sage and a 4-0 loss to Nazareth.
 
Keuka went 4-12 in 2023, finishing just one spot outside of the Empire 8 Tournament field in 6th place with a conference record of 2-5.
 
Tori Nelson is back for the Wolves after showcasing amazing vision in 2023, recording 4 goals and a team-high 10 assists last season. She has yet to really get going this year, posting only 1 assist in 2024, but is a major threat for Keuka as she displayed last year. Nelson is also crucial for Keuka on the defensive end, with the experienced midfielder having 4 defensive saves in 2024. Kirstin Billings is leading the wolves in both goals and assists with 3 and 2 respectively. Jordan Nichols has seen the majority of minutes in the cage, logging 56 saves with a 70.9 save percentage.
 
On The Horizon: The Pioneers will hit the road following this upcoming week, traveling to face Nazareth and Houghton in conference play on Wednesday, October 9th and Saturday, October 12th.
 
Make sure to tune in this week as the season moves on!