UTICA, NY - The Utica University field hockey team picked up a massive Empire 8 win on Wednesday afternoon, holding off Russell Sage College 3-2 thanks to a trio of spectacular scores by three different Pioneer freshman, the final of which would prove to be the decisive score of the contest.
Delaney Reilly (Marathon, NY/Marathon) headlined the scoring, with her first career goal slotting in as the game winner. Fellow freshman Gabby Chase (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) would add an assist on that deciding play, while also netting the opening Pioneer goal for a three point night. Gianna Marcantonio (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) would score the middle goal to increase her points streak to four straight games. The Section III product has also scored a goal in three of her last four contests. Shifty senior Jocelyn Spiezio (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) rounded out the point-getters, grabbing a pair of assists on the first two Pioneer goals as she gave the Sage defense fits throughout the game.
The Pioneers came out firing, taking a 1-0 lead just 1:01 into the contest. Gabby Chase (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) found the back of the cage off an assist from Jocelyn Spiezio (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) to give Utica an early advantage. Spiezio would create the opportunity, driving baseline and making her way around multiple Gator defenders to find Chase in the middle of the circle. However, Russell Sage was up to the task, as the visitors answered less than a minute later to knot the game at 1-1.
At the 11:43 mark, Gianna Marcantonio (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) put Utica back in front when she finished a feed from Spiezio for her third goal of the season. Spiezio inserted a penalty corner to Marcantonio on the left side, with the rookie stepping into a rocket that rattled off the near post and in. Just 2:45 later, Reilly added to the lead, scoring her first career goal off an assist from Chase to make it a 3-1 game heading into the second quarter. Chase pushed the ball up field and found Reilly behind the defense, with the Section IV product getting in on goal and sending home the Pioneers' third score of the opening frame, which would eventually register as the game-winner.
After a scoreless second and third quarter, Russell Sage cut the Utica lead to one with a goal at 54:12. The Pioneers' defense and goalkeeper Alannah Nole (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) stood tall over the final minutes, however, as Utica held on to secure a big conference win.
Nole played all 60 minutes in goal and made three saves to earn the victory. Utica outshot Russell Sage 17-6 and held a 9-8 advantage in penalty corners.
The Pioneers will return home this Saturday against Keuka College, welcoming the Wolves to Gaetano Stadium for a 2:00 PM tilt with the chance to build on their big midweek moments.
