UTICA, NY – Hartwick's men's lacrosse team held a comfortable 9-3 lead at halftime, but the host Utica College Pioneers (3-11, 2-5 E8) used an 8-1 run to close the game in an 11-10 win over the Hawks on Wednesday at Charles Gaetano Stadium.

The Pioneers got back into the game in the third quarter as they out-scored the Hawks by a 6-1 margin. UC tied the score 3:05 into the fourth quarter and picked up the game winner 5:04 later.

Jake Sachse (Lutherville, MD/Boys' Latin School of MD) tied for a game-high five points with four goals and an assist for the Hawks. Mike Rourke (Long Beach, NY/Long Beach) tied a season-high with 18 saves in cage for 'Wick.
           
Utica would begin the game with two goals in the opening 4:12 to take a 2-1 lead. Cody Petillo (Holbrook, NY/Sachem North) scored off a feed from Cordell Armstrong (Harleysville, PA/Souderton Area) for 'Wick's tally. Hartwick (4-9, 2-5 E8) would explode for six goals in the final 5:13 of the quarter to open up a 7-2 advantage. Sachse and Conner Long (Hardwick, NJ/Blair Academy) each scored twice in the run with Armstrong and Chris Vaden (Rocky Point, NY/Rocky Point) also tallying.
           
The seven first-quarter goals would mark the most in any opening quarter this season for the Hawks. They would tack on two more in the second quarter, both from Sachse, and the Hartwick lead grew to seven, 9-2. The Pioneers would out-shoot the Hawks 16-3 in the quarter, but Mike Rourke would make eight saves to help maintain the big lead. He was beaten only once and 'Wick hit halftime up 9-3.
           
Utica pulled within four with two goals in the first 3:13 of the third quarter. Three more in a 3:03 span got the Pioneers within a goal, 9-8. Sam Ferguson (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) stopped the bleeding for the Blue and White at the 4:58 mark to give the Hawks a two-goal cushion. UC answered with eight seconds remaining for a 10-9 Hartwick lead heading into the final quarter.
           
Brickman House scored his second of the game at 11:55 of the fourth quarter to even the contest. Dominic Castiglia, who recorded four goals and an assist, netted his fourth and final tally with 6:51 remaining in the game for what would prove to be the game-winner.
           
Ferguson would ring a shot off the post with 3:02 to play as the Hawks pressed for the tie. Ferguson and Long both had shots go wide at the 1:11 and 53 second mark, respectively, and the Pioneers ran out the final minute to earn the victory.
           
UC had the edge in shots by a narrow margin, 47-41. They Pioneers also won 13 face-offs to the Hawks' 11.
           
James Vogt (Stratham, NH/Exeter) led the Hawks with four ground balls. He would win 10 face-offs. Mike Rourke contributed three ground balls and Kevin Rourke (Long Beach, NY/Long Beach) Long, Garrison Wojtas (Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge), and Chris VanDeMark (Painted Post, NY/Corning-Paited Post) each had two.
           
The Hawks' Senior Day will take place on Saturday, April 30. Hartwick will host Ithaca (15-1) at 12 p.m.  The Bombers are ranked No. 2 in the nation and have won 13 games in a row.