UTICA, NY - Utica University's men's lacrosse team hosted the Alfred University Saxons as opponents for the team's senior day. In a game that will likely carry significant seeding implications for the upcoming E8 Tournament, the hosts stood tall, using a strong fourth-quarter push to outlast the Saxons 14-12. The win marks the Pioneers' first win against Alfred since 2017, ending a seven-game loss streak, and extending Utica's current-season win streak to five games. The squad will continue to make its case in the E8's seeding in the final two regular-season matchups this coming week, on the road, against Hartwick and SUNY Geneseo.
14 Pioneers recorded at least one point, but junior
Lucas Donahue (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) was critical to the orange and blue's success. He led the team with five goals, adding one assist for a sixth point on the day. Captains
Noah Erickson (Auburn, NY/Auburn) and
Ryan Considine (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) each netted two goals, with Erickson also recording one assist.
Michael Reid (Tully, NY/Tully) was the only other multi-point player for Utica, notching two helpers. The quintet of
Logan Waterman (Ava, NY/Rome Free Academy),
Connor Gorton (Middlesex, NY/Marcus Whitman),
Mason Little (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa),
Danny Dunn (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), and
Chase Nappi (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) completed the team's goal scoring. Another quintet, made up of
Nolan Shea (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union),
Landen Frey (Accord, NY/Rondout Valley),
Aaron Bergquist (Brewerton, NY/Central Square),
Jake Loughlin (Victor, NY/Victor), and
Ryan Hollenbeck (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker), each added one assist. Junior long stick midfielder
Colin Musso (Auburn, NY/Auburn) was a major piece of Utica's defense and transition, leading the team with both four caused turnovers and seven ground balls. At the faceoff X, Nappi and
Cade Bourcy (Syracuse, NY/Skaneateles) both went an identical 4-of-15. On a day recognizing 12 departures from the program, senior netminder
Jake Bowen (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) backstopped Utica with 11 saves.
Alfred had eight point scorers in the outing, but attackman Cole Loewke led the way with seven. His three goals and four assists made him the only Saxon with more than three points. Nick Volpe, Michael Gruin, Sam Herle, and Drew Smith each scored twice, while Volpe added one assist to make him the only other Alfred player to achieve a third point. Marcus Darminio netted the final visitor goal, while Sam Crosby (two) and Keagan Hoesterey (one) added assists. Defenders Ben Cunningham and Josh Funk were the only visiting players to achieve a second caused turnover, with Cunningham adding a team-second-best five ground balls. Alfred's highly-touted Hunter Cupp led the team both at the faceoff X and in the ground ball count, winning 18-of-25 attempts, and pulling 14 ground balls to himself. In net, Alex Petrangelo finished with a balanced 14-goal, 14-save line.
In front of an energetic crowd for both teams at Gaetano Stadium, the visiting Saxons looked to quiet the home fans with Loewke netting a feed from Hoesterey 34 seconds into play. Exactly two minutes later, Loewke assisted a Herle goal to build a 2-0 Alfred lead. Donahue responded for the Pioneers by matching the same actions, netting his own goal with 10:27 left in the frame, before assisting an Erickson goal 1:14 later. Donahue's goal was assisted by Reid. Loewke continued to add his name to the score sheet with a goal off a feed from Crosby with 4:48 left in the quarter. The orange and blue swung the momentum in their favor with a three-goal run in the final 3:24, with the scores netted by Considine, Gorton, and Donahue. Frey assisted on the Considine goal, and Bergquist on the Gorton goal. With 38 seconds left, Alfred's Daminio scored to cut the lead to one. The first quarter closed with a 5-4 edge for the home team.
The second quarter saw the teams trade blows back and forth, with none of the seven combined goals scored back-to-back by the same team. Considine opened the frame 1:07 in before Volpe responded 2:26 later. Donahue scored his second assist of the game from Reid next for Utica before Alfred's counterpunch by Smith, assisted by Volpe. Donahue netted another, this time from Shea, with 1:45 remaining. Just 21 seconds apart, goals by Smith for the Saxons and Little for the Pioneers closed the quarter with a 9-7 Utica lead. Assists on the final two goals went to Loewke and Loughlin, the sophomore defender's first assist of his career.
Teams came out of the halftime break defensively, as just three goals were scored in the third quarter. Dunn netted a goal from Erickson after 5:08 of play to allow Utica to take the game's first three-goal lead. Gruin scored twice for Alfred, with 6:32 and 0:55 remaining, to cut the Pioneer lead back to one. Loewke and Crosby earned assists on the scores.
With Utica up just 10-9, the Pioneers were eager to extend their lead out of reach in the tightly-battled contest. 1:07 into the quarter, Erickson struck for the Pioneers with an unassisted goal. With 9:21 left, Donahue netted his own unassisted goal to bring the home team's lead back to three. The orange and blue completed their scoring in the game with back-to-back goals with eight minutes left. With 8:04 left, Waterman finished a pass from Hollenbeck before Nappi earned a quick faceoff win, running toward the net and scoring seven seconds later. Alfred scored three goals in the remaining time, by Volpe, Herle, and Loewke. The visiting push was not enough, as Utica stood tall 14-12.
The Pioneers now enter the final week of Empire 8 regular-season conference play. The squad will stay on the road, taking on Hartwick College on Wednesday, April 22nd, before challenging SUNY Geneseo on Saturday. The Pioneers, currently sitting third, will clinch an E8 Tournament berth by staying inside the conference's top six. If the squad stays inside the top four, they will clinch at least one home playoff game.
