UTICA, NY - Utica University's men's soccer team closed its regular-season home schedule with a Crosstown Showdown against the SUNY Poly Wildcats, earning a 2-1 victory at Casamento Field. Two goals just 37 seconds apart early in the second half gave the Pioneers the advantage before the orange and blue withstood a late Wildcat push. The win clinches a top-four seed and a home opening-round game in the Empire 8 Tournament, improving Utica to 9-5-2 overall and 7-2-1 in conference play.
Sophomore
Carter Cookinham (Poland, NY/Poland) provided both Pioneer goals, recording his second brace of the season and bringing his goal total to four. Senior
Felix-Assa Loselose (Syracuse, NY/Nottingham) earned the assist on the opening score and put both of his shot attempts on target. Cookinham led Utica with three shots, all on goal, while
Griffin Condit (Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad) and
Mao Nkurunziza (Syracuse, NY/Nottingham) accounted for the remaining Pioneer attempts on target. Senior
Zachary Accetta (Rocky Point, NY/Rocky Point) played the full 90:00 in net, turning away six shots to secure the victory.
The Wildcats held a sizeable advantage in total attempts, outshooting Utica 29-11, but both teams finished with seven shots on goal. The visitors also earned 14 corner kicks to the Pioneers' two. Despite the pressure, Utica's defense blocked 12 shots throughout the contest, helping the orange and blue protect their lead through the final whistle. The game was among the most physical of the season, as after a 12-foul first half, an astonishing seven combined yellow cards were assigned within the final 45:00.
SUNY Poly controlled the early opportunities, taking each of the first seven shots before Utica attempted its first at the 26:17 mark. Five of those opening Wildcat attempts were blocked, with the visitors also earning five corner kicks during that stretch. Nkurunziza took the first Pioneer shot, sending it high, before Accetta made his first save at 28:26 against Johnpaul Jerome. The senior stopped another attempt by Elijah North just over five minutes later. Nkurunziza provided Utica's lone shot on target of the half with 2:39 remaining, but a save by Wildcat goalkeeper Zack Bruder sent the teams into the break tied 0-0.
The visitors tested Accetta twice within the opening four minutes of the second half, but the Pioneers soon found their breakthrough. At 49:53, Loselose intercepted a goalkeeper clearance and passed to Cookinham, who used his left foot to finish into the lower-right corner. The orange and blue wasted little time adding another. Loselose forced a save at 50:24, and Cookinham finished the rebound six seconds later, sending another left-footed shot into the upper-left corner to establish a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats responded at the 61:11 mark, with North receiving a long pass on a run from Nick Pepe and finishing a right-footed shot into the lower-middle portion of the net. Utica continued to generate chances, including another Loselose shot on target during the 69th minute and a Cookinham attempt at 78:07, but Bruder kept the visitors within one.
SUNY Poly accounted for each of the final nine shot attempts, putting the Pioneer defense under pressure down the stretch. Accetta saved a Jace James attempt at 79:32 before Utica blocked five of the Wildcats' remaining eight shots. The visitors earned three corner kicks in the final 1:24, but the orange and blue held firm to complete the 2-1 victory.
Utica men's soccer closes the regular season this coming Saturday, October 24th, in a road matchup with Elmira College. The Pioneers will then return to Casamento Field to host an Empire 8 Tournament First Round game on Saturday, October 31st. The opponent and kickoff time will be announced once tournament seeding is finalized.
