UTICA, NY - Utica University's men's soccer faced off with the SUNY Geneseo Knights, falling by a score of 2-1. The teams fought quite evenly, with Geneseo scoring a second goal late in the second half. Utica struck last, but was not able to string together multiple goals with the short clock. Utica now falls to 5-3-2 overall this season, and carries a 2-1-2 record in the Empire 8. Geneseo improves to 6-4-1 overall, and continues their perfect E8 record, now up to 5-0.

Freshman Henry Schweitzer (Clinton, NY/Clinton) continued his excellent rookie campaign, scoring the Pioneers' lone goal in the contest. Byamungu Mugushu (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) tallied the only other point of the game for Utica, assisting on Schweitzer's goal. As a team, the Pioneers recorded just two shots on goal, one by Schweitzer and the other by fellow freshman Carter Cookinham (Poland, NY/Poland). Two keepers shared time in the net, each ending the day with one goal allowed and two saves made. Zachary Accetta (Rocky Point, NY/Rocky Point) started in goal for Utica before giving way to Asim Gacic (Utica, NY/Mohawk Valley Community College (NJCAA)), who played the final 51:42.

Geneseo had three separate players record at least one point in the match, led by Dylan Thody with three. Thody scored the opening goal of the day before assisting on the late goal by Aidan Lodie. Michael Ruggiero also added an assist on Lodie's goal. Max Crothall played the full game in net for the Knights, facing two shots and saving one of them.

Geneseo's Thody continued his incredible season by scoring just seven minutes and 41 seconds into the game. The Knights offense controlled the ball to the side of the penalty area, sending a cross into the box. After bouncing between several players in the scrum, the ball found the foot of Thody, who netted his E8-leading 9th goal of the season from just a handful of yards out.

Despite many strong chances for both teams, neither could change the 1-0 Geneseo lead until late, when the Knights extended their lead at the 75:50 mark. Thody carried the ball into the top corner of the penalty area, finding Ruggiero through traffic, who quickly redirected the ball to his teammate, Lodie, who was open in the middle of the penalty area. Lodie rocketed home a shot to score the eventual game-winner.

Despite already playing quite hard, Utica upped the ante late in an attempt to crawl back into the game against the top-ranked team in the conference. After some back-and-forth possessions between the teams, a long ball was sent into the Pioneers' offensive half, finding the feet of Mugushu. Mugushu gave a small tap of the ball, putting it in an open space for his teammate Schweitzer to step forward and score his fourth goal of the season with just 45 seconds left. 

Utica will stay home for their next game as well, when the Russell Sage Gators come to town for a 6:30 pm matchup on Wednesday, October 8th. On the following Saturday, the 11th, the squad will travel to Alfred, NY for a contest with the Alfred University Saxons. That game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm at Yunevich Stadium.