UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's lacrosse team kicked off its 2026 season by hosting SUNY New Paltz for the team's season and home opener. The visitors struck early, taking a 1-0 lead 24 seconds into play, and reestablishing their game-lasting lead after a goal to make it 2-1 after five minutes of play. Utica was outshot 35-16 by a stout New Paltz offensive unit. The Pioneers return to action just over a week from today, in a March 1st matchup against Plattsburgh State.
The home squad's goal scoring was split between just three players.
Alyssa Specchio (Chenango Forks, NY/Chenango Forks) jump-started her sophomore season with a five-goal performance, doing so in just seven shot attempts. She additionally led the team with three draw controls, the only Pioneer with more than one.
Jessica Marciano (Churchville, NY/Churchville Chili) and
Bella Kolb (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) also showed on the stat sheet, as each of them scored and assisted on a goal.
Alexis Alteri (Clinton, NY/Clinton) and
Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) also tallied assists to round out Utica's point scorers. Junior goalie
Makayla Purdy (Shirley, NY/William Floyd) played between the pipes for the home team, saving 13 shots.
The Hawks' offense saw a healthy mix of scorers, as eight players ended with at least one point. New Paltz's tandem of Atwater sisters led the way, with Lexi Atwater netting seven goals and assisting one other, while Morgan Atwater scored three with one assist herself. Katie Picarello was the final multi-goal scorer for the Hawks, with each of Ava Padilla, Mia Baldinger, Samantha DeLucca, Allison Beattie, and Helena Willis. Padilla led New Paltz with four assists, followed by Beattie with two, and the Atwater sisters with one apiece. The sisters additionally pocketed 16 draw controls: 12 for Morgan and four for Lexi. Piper Mascaros started in the crease for the visitors, saving three of four shots in the first half before turning her spot over to Gabriella Tommaso, who saved four of five shots in the final 30:00. Mascaros was credited as the goalie of record in the contest.
The visitors opened the scoring just 24 seconds into play. After the early score, the teams battled until Specchio evened the score at 1-1 after 4:19 of play. 40 seconds after the equalizer, Picarello netted another go-ahead for the Hawks, followed by Lexi Atwater's second of the game just 17 seconds later. Utica again struck back at the 7:24 mark of the first period to make the score 3-2 before Atwater went on a run of three more goals to finish the period with New Paltz up 6-2.
The Hawks continued their pressure at the start of the next period, going on another three-goal stretch before Utica scored their third of the game at 9:52 of the second period. Kolb netted an unassisted man-up goal to set the scoreline at 9-3 New Paltz. Only one more goal was scored over the remainder of the half, giving the Hawks a 10-3 lead at halftime.
The home squad looked to counterpunch coming out of halftime, with Specchio scoring two goals in the first four minutes to make the score 10-5. With the Pioneers crawling back in, the Hawks started to shut the door on any potential comebacks, scoring three goals of their own in the 4:04 following Specchio's third of the game. Specchio got the last laugh in the period, scoring a man-up goal with 2:58 left to let the final frame begin with New Paltz up 13-6.
Utica struck first in the final 15:00, as Specchio netted her fifth of the game. The score, after 4:56 of play in the fourth, was the Pioneers' final of the contest. New Paltz added four more goals over the remainder, with those scores coming at times of 8:13, 7:06, 2:23, and 0:47.
The Pioneers will return to action next Sunday, March 1st, against Plattsburgh State. The contest, set to be hosted at Plattsburgh's Soccer/Lacrosse Complex, is slated to begin at 1:00 pm. Utica next returns to Gaetano Stadium in a March 17th matchup with the University of Rochester.
