UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's lacrosse team is set to begin its 2026 postseason run by playing host to the Hartwick College Hawks in the First Round of Empire 8 Championship Tournament Play. Opening draw is set for 4:00 pm on Tuesday, April 28th, at Gaetano Stadium. The winner of the matchup will advance to a semifinal round matchup with St. John Fisher on Thursday.
Follow Along: The video stream for the event can be found
HERE, with live stats available
HERE.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers finished their 2026 regular season schedule with two home games last week. In the latter game, the team's regular-season finale, Utica fell 20-5 to SUNY Geneseo, facing heavy pressure from the opening draw as the Knights generated 46 total shots and 37 on goal.
Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) led the offensive effort with four goals on seven shots, while
Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) added the team's other tally. In net,
Makayla Purdy (Shirley, NY/William Floyd) turned in a strong performance despite the volume, making 17 saves across 60 minutes of work. The Pioneers showed resilience throughout, with the defense forcing 14 turnovers, but Geneseo's sustained offensive pressure and early scoring runs proved to be the difference.
A Familiar Foe: In the final week's earlier game, on Wednesday the 22nd, the orange and blue delivered a 15-5 win over Hartwick, controlling the game from the opening draw at Gaetano Stadium. Stuhlman and
Bella Kolb (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) powered the offense with four goals apiece, while
Alyssa Specchio (Chenango Forks, NY/Chenango Forks) added a hat trick and an assist, and
Alexis Alteri (Clinton, NY/Clinton) contributed two goals and two assists in a balanced attacking effort. The Pioneers dominated possession throughout, winning the draw control battle 17-5 behind Brennan's nine and Alteri's six, while converting efficiently on free-position opportunities to build a commanding advantage.
Defensively, Utica set the tone by limiting Hartwick to just 13 shots and forcing 18 turnovers, with
Ella Stanton (Macedon, NY/Palmyra-Macedon) leading the effort with five ground balls and two caused turnovers. In goal, Purdy made seven saves in a steady 60-minute performance, helping the Pioneers control tempo and clear at a high rate. After building a 5-1 halftime lead, Utica broke the game open with a six-goal third quarter and never allowed Hartwick to get closer than six the rest of the way, securing a decisive victory that now sets up a postseason rematch between the two programs.
The Tournament Layout: Six of 10 teams in the conference make it into the Empire 8 Conference Championship Tournament. St. John Fisher earned the #1 by going 9-0 inside the E8, followed by SUNY Geneseo at #2 with an 8-1 E8 record. The tournament's top two teams earn a first-round bye and will look ahead to semifinal round matchups with the winners on Thursday. At 7-2, Brockport earned the #3, and Utica (6-3) pulled the #4 to clinch home playoff games in the first round. #5 Hartwick (5-4) is set to begin against Utica, while 4-5 Nazareth rounds out the seeding. The orange and blue enter with a 2-8 all-time record in the Empire 8 Tournament, with both wins coming in the program's only two home postseason games.
Hawk's Eye View: After opening the season with a 21-9 win, Hartwick dropped seven straight contests to fall to 1-7 overall and 0-2 in Empire 8 play. The Hawks responded with a strong midseason turnaround, rattling off six consecutive wins while outscoring opponents 97-26, with five of those victories coming by double digits. Since that surge, Hartwick has dropped its last two games, falling to Utica and #1 St. John Fisher to close the regular season. Entering the postseason at 7-9 overall and 5-4 in conference play, the Hawks have shown the ability to string together dominant stretches and will be hungry to avenge a recent loss to the Pioneers.
The underclass attacking core of Lily Dempsey and Adelyn Esce has led Hartwick with 47 points apiece. Dempsey has scored 29 goals and assisted 18, while Esce has netted 20 and recorded a team-high 27 helpers. Parker Laurin has beaten the keeper a team-high 35 times. Jammie Decker has been an all-around contributor, accounting for 24 points (21g, 3a), and the team lead in caused turnovers (21), ground balls (34), and draw controls (59). Junior Brooke Lynett has served as the primary goaltender for the squad, playing in all 16 games, recording 695:46 in net out of a total 959:45. In that time, she has posted a .462 save percentage and an 11.56 goals allowed average.
Up Next: The Pioneers now shift into "win or go home" mode, needing to win each game to keep advancing. The winner of the Utica/Hartwick matchup will continue their run at St. John Fisher on Thursday. Be sure to follow Utica Athletics on social media and check uticapioneers.com for up-to-date postseason information as it is available.
