ELMIRA, N.Y. – The Elmira College men's soccer program scored just over 11 minutes into its Empire 8 Conference matchup on Saturday, but a successful penalty kick in the 81st minute propelled the visiting Utica University Pioneers to a 2-1 victory at Campus Field.
JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Elmira 1, Utica 2
LOCATION: Elmira, NY | Campus Field
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (8-4-2, 2-3-0 E8), Utica (7-4-1, 4-1-1 E8)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Utica would get the first scoring opportunity of the contest as a shot to the left side of the net at the 6:18 mark would be stopped by Elmira goalkeeper
Zachary Raffino '23. It would be the Purple & Gold that would get onto the scoreboard first as
Alessandro Lancia '26 found himself with some spacing and would blast a shot into the back of the net to make it 1-0 in the 12th minute.
Looking to add to its lead, Elmira would get three more scoring looks in the opening half as
Gavin Wise '22 had a shot denied in the 16th minute, while
Lutho Mlunguza '23 had his shot stopped in the 33rd minute. Lancia would get the final scoring look before halftime for the Soaring Eagles as his shot was turned away by the Pioneers in the 36th minute. Raffino turned away each of the three shots that Utica put on frame in the half.
Elmira brought pressure early in the second half as Lancia would get two more shots off in the opening 10 minutes. His shot in the 56th minute would be stopped as he tried to beat the keeper to the right side of the net. A broken play in Elmira's defensive end of the field would allow the Pioneers to knot the score in the 70th minute as a shot from the top of the box would beat Raffino to the far-right corner of the net.
The intensity from both sides would pick up as time ticked away from the clock in the second half as three total yellow cards would be handed out. The momentum shift in the match would come in the 81st minute as a foul would be called just inside the box which turned into a penalty kick for the Pioneers. Utica would convert the opportunity as a kick to the right corner would beat Raffino to make it 2-1. Despite earning three corner kicks in the final minute of action the Purple & Gold would not be able to tally the equalizer.
Raffino finished with three saves in the contest, while Lancia tallied three shots on goal in the match for Elmira. The Soaring Eagles held a 6-4 edge in corner kicks, while both sides were whistled for 11 fouls.
UP NEXT:
The Purple & Gold return to Empire 8 Conference action as they travel to Medaille on October 19 for a 7:00 P.M. start against the Mavericks. Elmira returns to Campus Field on October 22 to host Nazareth beginning at 3:00 P.M.
