UTICA, NY - Utica men's lacrosse battled #11-ranked St. John Fisher at Gaetano Stadium on Wednesday night, ultimately falling 18-10 in an up-tempo Empire 8 matchup. The loss puts the Pioneers 1-7 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
Junior attacker
Ryan Considine (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) paced the Utica offense with a game-high six points, netting four goals and adding two assists while also contributing a ground ball and a caused turnover. Junior midfielder
Lucas Donahue (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) was close behind with two goals on four shots, both in the second half, to help the Pioneers finish strong. Utica's balanced attack continued with two goals from freshman midfielder
Danny Dunn (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) and single tallies from sophomore
Logan Waterman (Ava, NY/Rome Free Academy) and senior
Ryan Hollenbeck (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker). Faceoff specialist
Chase Nappi (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) and midfielders
Quinn Orsini (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland),
Landen Frey (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley),
Nolan Shea (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union), and
Noah Erickson (Auburn, NY/Auburn) each handed out one assist to round out a 10-goal output fueled by contributions throughout the lineup.
While St. John Fisher held the statistical edge across the board, Utica generated quality chances of its own with 32 total shots and 16 shots on goal against the Cardinals' 26 on frame attempts. The Pioneers finished 16-for-22 on clears and collected 27 ground balls, led by defender
Aaron Bergquist's (Brewerton, NY/Central Square) team-high four pickups and three caused turnovers in a disruptive effort on the back line. Senior goalkeeper
Jake Bowen (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) worked the full 60 minutes, turning aside eight shots while facing 51 total attempts from a Fisher offense that converted on its lone extra-man opportunity.
The Cardinals opened the scoring at 13:28 of the first quarter, but Utica had an immediate answer just under a minute later. Hollenbeck knotted the game at 1-1 at 12:35, cashing in on a feed from Erickson for his fifth goal of the season and giving the Pioneers an early boost. After the teams traded possessions, the Cardinals went on a three-goal run before Waterman pulled back at 4:35 off a setup from Shea to make it 4-2. Fisher then closed the quarter with two tallies in the final minute, using an extra-man goal at 0:48 and an even-strength strike with six seconds left to take a 6-2 advantage to close out the quarter.
The second quarter followed a similar script, as the Cardinals strung together another multi-goal burst to create separation before halftime. Fisher opened the period at 13:49, but Dunn answered at 13:03 off a feed from Orsini to make it 7-3, the Cardinals responded with five of the next seven goals to stretch the margin. Considine scored twice in the quarter, finishing a feed from Nappi at 10:52 and then converting a setup from
Landen Frey (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley) at 5:51, but three more goals from the Cardinals sent Fisher to the locker room with a 12-5 lead.
Utica began to find more of its footing in the third, answering Fisher's opening run with a much-needed response late in the frame. Fisher netted two goals at 8:18 and 6:21 to make it 14-5, striking again at 4:11 pushing the lead to 15-5. The Pioneers were not done, though, as Donahue combined with Considine on a quick-strike connection to close the quarter 15-6.
The Pioneers carried that momentum into the final quarter and delivered their best offensive stretch of the night. After an early Fisher goal at 14:28 made it 16-6, Considine went to work, striking unassisted at 10:30 and again at 8:04 to record his third and fourth goals of the contest and bring Utica within 17-8. Fisher struck back at the 7:40 mark, but Donahue and Dunn closed strong, with Donahue finishing a feed from Considine at 5:57 and Dunn capping the scoring unassisted at 3:42 to lock in the 18-10 final.
With its toughest stretch of Empire 8 play underway, Utica will now turn the page to another key conference test. The Pioneers are back in action on Saturday, April 4, when they travel to Keuka College for a conference matchup with the Wolves. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm at Jephson Community Athletic Complex in Keuka Park, NY.
