UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's lacrosse team rolled past SUNY Poly 20-5 in Empire 8 play, using an 11-0 first quarter to cruise to a win and move to 7-3 overall, and 3-1 in conference play. The Pioneers will look to carry momentum from back-to-back 20-goal wins into an upcoming road matchup this Saturday against SUNY Brockport.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was
Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and
Alyssa Specchio (Chenango Forks, NY/Chenango Forks), as the pair combined to factor into 15 of Utica's 20 goals on the evening. Stuhlman followed with a 10-point effort on five goals and five assists, scoring the game's opening marker, and at least once in each quarter. Specchio led all groups with a game-high seven goals for seven points, including four in the first quarter alone to help Utica build its early cushion. Two other Pioneers recorded multi-point outings in support of the explosive duo.
Jessica Marciano (Churchville, NY/Churchville Chili) finished with four goals and one assist, while
Alexis Alteri (Clinton, NY/Clinton) turned in a hat trick.
Lucia Daubel (Walden, NY/Valley Central) added one goal off a fourth-quarter feed from Stuhlman.
Ella Stanton (Macedon, NY/Palmyra-Macedon) was the only player in the game to achieve a second caused turnover and tied for the game lead with five ground balls. Six different Pioneers pulled in at least one draw control, led by Stuhlman with seven, and both Alteri and Specchio with four.
Makayla Purdy (Shirley, NY/William Floyd) collected the win in goal with five saves over 55:24 of action, allowing just three goals before exiting late in the fourth quarter. Freshman
Alannah Nole (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) also made an appearance between the pipes, closing out the final 4:36 as the Pioneers cruised to the conference victory.
Utica wasted no time seizing control, striking for the opening goal in just 50 seconds into the contest as
Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) finished unassisted at the 14:10 mark of the first quarter. That tally opened the floodgates for the Pioneers, who turned the rest of the frame into a clinic by rattling off 10 more unanswered goals. Specchio and Marciano combined to score eight of the 11 goals in the quarter, with Stuhlman (twice) and Alteri also cashing in, as Utica closed the first quarter with an 11-0 lead and all the momentum.
The Pioneers continued to dictate play in the second quarter, methodically stretching their advantage while keeping SUNY Poly off the board. Stuhlman capitalized on a woman-up opportunity with 2:40 left in the half, before Specchio completed a double hat trick a minute later off a feed from Marciano. Utica carried a commanding 13-0 cushion into the halftime break, having held the Wildcats to just four shots on goal in the half.
Out of halftime, Utica maintained its offensive pressure and quickly put the game further out of reach with another dominant stretch. Alteri opened the third quarter scoring just over a minute in, off a pass from Stuhlman, who then found Marciano at 12:07 to push the margin to 15-0. SUNY Poly broke through at 10:12, but Specchio answered less than two minutes later before Alteri and Stuhlman added late goals to send the Pioneers into the fourth with an 18-1 advantage.
In the final frame, the Pioneers added two more insurance markers while managing the clock to close out the conference win. Stuhlman netted her fifth of the game just 20 seconds into the quarter off a feed from Alyssa Hawkins. Daubel later converted off another Stuhlman assist at the 8:46 mark for Utica's 20th goal of the night, locking up the 20-5 result.
The Pioneers (7-3, 3-1 Empire 8) return to action on Saturday, April 11th, when they hit the road to take on SUNY Brockport. Opening draw at A. Huntley Parker Jr. Field is set for 1:00 pm. The squad returns to home turf when the team hosts the University of Rochester for the Morgan's Message Game on Tuesday, April 14th. The opening draw is set for 4:00 pm at ABM Field at Gaetano Stadium.
