KEUKA PARK, NY - The Utica University women's lacrosse team secured a massive win over the Keuka College Wolves for the team's first win in Empire 8 Conference play on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Wolves 16-3.
 
Leading the way for the Pioneers was a trio of Pioneers that finished with multi-goal outings in Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) with five goals, Alyssa Specchio (Chenango Forks, NY/Chenango Forks) with three, and Bella Kolb (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) with two. Stuhlman added an assist to her stat line on the afternoon as well as causing three turnovers and collecting four ground balls. Six Pioneers finished with one goal each in Abby Cangemi (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy), Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug), Grace Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Ella Jentsch (Rosendale, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes), Jordan Kowalski (Chicopee, MA/Westfield), and Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy HS / Belle Tire). Grace, Kowalski, Best, and Belicia Biette (Troy, NY/Columbia) each added an assist to their stat lines. Elliana Lasher (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) put together a great defensive outing with three caused turnovers and collecting four ground balls. Makayla Purdy (Shirley, NY/William Floyd) got the starting nod in goal, making two saves in the first half, with Angelina Borowiec (Clinton, NY/Clinton) taking over in the second half and making six saves. 
 
Utica would get the scoring going early with Kolb breaking the ice on a feed from Maria with 12 and a half minutes remaining in the opening frame. Four minutes later, Grace would notch her 27th goal of the season, doubling the Pioneer lead. With three and a half minutes remaining in the opening frame, Maria would find the back of the net for her 20th goal of the season sending the Pioneers into the second stanza with a 3-0 lead. 
 
To open the second stanza, Ella Jentsch (Rosendale, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) would find the back of the net for her first goal of the season less than 40 seconds into the quarter, expanding the lead to 4-0. Four minutes later, Kolb would notch her second of the game on a feed from Best with 11:24 remaining. The Wolves would find their footing defensively, holding the Pioneers scoreless for almost eight minutes in the second frame, until Utica would turn on the jets and rifle three goal past the Wolves netminder within two minutes. Maria would notch her second of the game off the free position, Cangemi would find the back of the net for her first of the season, and Speechio would also find the back of the net for her first of the game. The Pioneers would head to the locker room with an eight goal lead. 
 
Coming out of the break, Maria would quickly fire one past the Keuka keep less than 30 seconds into the third for her third of the game, and fifth hat trick of the season. Two minutes later, Kowalski would net her fourth goal of the season by herself. With 10 minutes remaining in the frame, Maria would manage to net her fourth goal of the game on a feed from Kowalski. Keuka would not be able to break through the scoreless drought until 8:06 in the third quarter, when an attacker would rifle one past Boroweic to get the Wolves on the board. The Pioneers would respond with two goals in the remainder of the frame, goals from Maria and Speechio both finding the back of the net off the free position to head into the final frame with a 13-1 lead. 
 
Another three goals would find the back of the net for the Pioneers in the final frame with the first coming off the stick of Best less than 40 seconds into the frame. A minute and a half later, Speechio would notch her third of the game, for her second career hat trick. Keuka would respond by finding the back of the net to bring the score of 15-2. The final Pioneer goal would come off the stick of Brennan on a feed from Biette with four minutes remaining in the contest. Keuka would find the back of the net with under a minute remaining in the contest, but it would not be enough as the Pioneers would secure the 16-3 victory. 
 
Utica (4-5, 1-2 Empire 8) returns to action on Wednesday, April 9 as the team will clash on the road with Empire 8 Conference newcomer and cross-town rival SUNY Poly. The opening draw from Utica, NY is set for 4pm.