GENESEO, NY - The Utica University women's soccer team managed a 87th minute goal to secure a 1-1 draw with the SUNY Geneseo Knights to remain unbeaten in conference play on Saturday afternoon. 
 
Leading the way for the Pioneers was Krista Panko (Ilion, NY/Central Valley Academy) who found the back of the net for her first goal in the orange and blue. Rylee Lamphere (Little Falls, NY/Dolgeville) managed a team high two shot attempts in the contest, with only one falling on goal. Three other Pioneers recorded at least one shot attempt in Kayla Giovingo (Centereach, NY/Centereach), Madison Wagner (Saukville, WI/Divine Savior Holy Angels), and Amber Piersma (Cassville, NY/Mount Markham). In goal for the Pioneers, Hannah Pcola (Cassville, NY/Mount Markham) allowed only one Geneseo goal while making seven saves. 
 
Less than a minute into the contest, Geneseo would be the first team to fire off a shot, with another four behind it before the Pioneers would be able to get a shot off that would come off the foot of Piersma in the 27th minute. The Pioneers would be unable to get another shot off in the opening frame, and head into the halftime break in the thick of a scoreless tie. 
 
Coming out of the break, it would be the Knights that would break the scoreless tie less than three minutes into the second half. Utica would follow less than a minute later with a scoring chance from Lamphere that would go out to the right of the Geneseo goalkeeper. Both teams would battle back and forth for possession for the remainder of the half, when Krista Panko (Ilion, NY/Central Valley Academy) would manage to find the back of the net on her own to knot the score at one a piece in the 87th minute. Neither team would be able to get another shot off in the waning minutes of the contest, sending both teams home with the 1-1 draw. 
 
Utica (6-3-3, 3-0-2 Empire 8) returns to action on Wednesday, October 8 as the team travels to take on the Russell Sage College Gators. Game time from Albany, NY is set for 4pm.