UTICA, NY - Utica University's men's lacrosse team is set to continue its 2026 postseason push in a matchup with Nazareth University tomorrow, April 30th. The #1-seeded Golden Flyers will host the Empire 8 Semifinal Round matchup at NLPA Field, with the opening faceoff set for 4:00 pm.
Follow Along: The video stream of the contest can be found
HERE, with live stats available
HERE.
Breakthrough at Hartwick: The Pioneers punched their ticket to the semifinal round with a statement 13-12 road win at Hartwick, earning the program's first-ever postseason victory in dramatic fashion. In a back-and-forth battle, the Pioneers built leads of 7-4 at halftime and 12-8 after three quarters before withstanding a late Hawks surge that tied the game with 3:46 remaining. Utica responded quickly, as
Ryan Hollenbeck (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker) finished a feed from
Michael Reid (Tully, NY/Tully) just over a minute later to deliver the game-winning goal, while the defense and a key late save from
Jake Bowen (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) secured the result.
The offense of the orange and blue was both explosive and efficient, with all 13 goals assisted and five players posting four or more points.
Lucas Donahue (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) and
Ryan Considine (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) each led the way with four goals and an assist, while
Nolan Shea (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) orchestrated the attack with five assists. Reid added two goals and two assists, and
Noah Erickson (Auburn, NY/Auburn) chipped in four helpers as Utica outshot Hartwick 43-33 and controlled possession with an 18-10 advantage at the faceoff X. With his performance in the game, Considine broke both the single-season assist record (34) and total points record (68).
Earlier Battle at Nazareth: Utica opened Empire 8 play with a tough road test at Nazareth, falling 25-5 after the Golden Flyers used a pair of early scoring runs to seize control. The hosts built a 7-0 lead after the first quarter and extended it to 16-1 by halftime, capitalizing on a strong possession edge and outshooting the Pioneers 56-32. Despite the early deficit, Utica showed signs of life in the second half, including a three-goal third quarter that helped stabilize play and narrow the margin in stretches.
Considine led the Pioneers offensively with two goals and an assist, while Hollenbeck added two goals, and Shea contributed a goal and an assist. Defensively, Utica forced nine caused turnovers and found more rhythm late, finishing a perfect 7-for-7 on clears in the fourth quarter while also winning the faceoff battle in the final frame.
Knowing Nazareth: The #1-seeded Golden Flyers' season has had two distinct sections: pre- and post-March 12. Nazareth began the season 0-6, facing multiple strong opponents and even falling in three one-goal games to Endicott (10-9 OT), Clarkson (7-6), and Ithaca (9-8). In the other defeats, they fell to RIT 22-8, St. Lawrence 13-9, and Cortland 19-7, on March 11th. After the Cortland loss, however, the Golden Flyers began an 11-game win streak that they are still currently riding. The team has outscored opponents 244-57 over the span, highlighted by big wins over Keuka (35-4) and Hartwick (30-7), and handing St. John Fisher the program's first in-conference loss since 2019. Additionally, no team has scored more than seven goals against the squad since the win streak began.
Nazareth's offense features numerous strong contributors, but the senior attacking duo of Matthew Farrington and Kyle Rosenberger has led the way, as they are two of three players across the E8 to finish with 67+ total points. Farrington has beaten the keeper 44 times himself, while also turning in an astonishing 45 assists for 89 total points. Rosenberger has netted a team-high 49 goals, while also recording 22 helpers. Graduate defenseman Connor Fundis leads the squad with 24 caused turnovers. Faceoff specialist Cole Doldo leads the team with 93 ground balls, additionally chipping in 215-of-352 wins at the X. Freshman Sven Habitzreuther has served as the primary keeper, posting a .565 save percentage and an 8.29 goals allowed average across 702:24 this season.
Up Next: Utica is now slated to take on #1-seeded Nazareth University in the Semifinal Round. Opening faceoff is set for 4:00 pm tomorrow, April 30th, at NLPA Field. With a win over the Golden Flyers, the Pioneers would be lined up to take on the winner of St. John Fisher/Geneseo on the road in the championship game on Saturday.
