UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's lacrosse team hosted the University of Rochester Yellowjackets in the squad's Morgan's Message Game, bringing attention to an organization that supports student-athlete mental health. The Pioneers battled throughout, but a strong Rochester offense stood tall in an 18-8 final. The non-conference defeat moves Utica to 7-5 overall in 2026, as it seeks a hot end to the season with four Empire 8 matchups remaining.
Utica's goal and point scoring was limited to just four players.
Bella Kolb (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) was the only Pioneer with a hat trick, followed by both
Alyssa Specchio (Chenango Forks, NY/Chenango Forks) and
Jessica Marciano (Churchville, NY/Churchville Chili) with two goals.
Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) notched the final tally for the orange and blue. Only two Pioneers recorded an assist, with both Marciano and Stuhlman achieving one. Utica was limited to just three caused turnovers in the outing, each by a separate player. Kolb,
Ella Stanton (Macedon, NY/Palmyra-Macedon), and goaltender
Makayla Purdy (Shirley, NY/William Floyd) tied for the team lead with three ground balls apiece. Stuhlman had a firm lead around the center circle for the orange and blue, pulling in nine of the team's 13 draw controls. Between the pipes, Purdy made 13 saves, becoming just the fifth Pioneer in program history to achieve the 300 career saves milestone after her first of the game.
Anna Rogers led the Rochester offense with a double hat trick and three assists, followed closely by Alyssa Gorny with just one less of each stat. Allison Weiden scored once and added the team's only other three assists. Ella Lassen and Jenna Kessler each netted two, while Sara Mendelson and Rose Bunting found the back of the net once to complete the Yellowjackets' scoring. Six players had two caused turnovers, but none tallied a third. Similarly, five Yellowjackets had three ground balls, but none achieved a fourth. Rochester had six players pull in at least one draw control, contributing to a team total of 16. Mendelson led the squad with five. Isla Ablin pulled the win in net with seven saves and seven goals allowed in 55:06 of play. Madeline Merriman completed the final 4:54, saving one of two shots.
The visitors used two quick strikes to set the tone early, scoring goals 49 and 84 seconds into play. Rogers opened the scoring unassisted before Weiden found Gorny on the second goal. Utica struck back with a free-position goal by Marciano with 8:14 left. The Yellowjackets responded with another flurry of strikes, scoring three goals in a 2:14 span. Rogers had another unassisted goal before helping on the next one, scored by Gorny. The final goal of the quarter was scored after a green card on Utica, with Kessler finishing a feed from Weiden. The final 5:01 ran off the clock to give Rochester a 5-1 lead after the first quarter.
The second quarter saw just 2:48 of scoreless play run off the clock before a lightning delay was called, pausing the contest for the next 49 minutes. 2:09 after play resumed, with 11:03 left in the half, Mendelson finished another man-up goal for the Yellowjackets. Over the next couple of minutes, Specchio found the back of the net for Utica before Lassen scored a feed from Gorny to trade back. With 6:31 remaining, Gorny netted a goal of her own off a pass from Rogers. Just over two minutes later, Stuhlman found Kolb for a man-advantage goal in favor of the orange and blue. The squads again traded goals, both on special teams, in the final 40 seconds. Rochester's Gorny finished a pass from Rogers on a man-disadvantage. 18 seconds later, Marciano found Kolb, allowing the junior attacker to score the 50th goal of her career. No more shots were taken in the final seconds, ending the first half with a 9-4 Yellowjacket lead.
Specchio, a sophomore, beat the keeper with a man-up free-position goal 4:22 into the third quarter, netting her own 50th career goal. Rochester responded heavily over the next four and a half minutes, netting five goals to jump out to a 14-5 lead. Kolb netted another with 4:48 remaining to slow the run, but the visitors closed the quarter with a goal by Rogers with 22 seconds left. The game entered the final quarter with the Pioneers trailing 15-6.
Rochester continued to expand their lead with the first two goals of the final frame. Kessler struck first on the man advantage, followed by Gorny during even-strength play, both unassisted. Stuhlman was awarded a free position during a man advantage, which she scored with 8:27 remaining to establish a 17-7 Yellowjacket lead. Just under two minutes later, a free position goal by Bunting for Rochester scored the visitors' final goal of the game. Marciano struck last with an unassisted goal with 2:30 remaining to complete the 18-8 final.
Utica will look to flush the loss away quickly, facing Empire 8 opponent Russell Sage tomorrow, April 15th. Opening draw is set for 4:00 pm at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Athletic Complex. The Pioneers next return to Gaetano Stadium on Wednesday, April 22nd, when Hartwick College comes to town for a 4:00 pm scheduled matchup.
