ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Hartwick Men's Lacrosse team kept its momentum rolling on Wednesday afternoon, defending home turf against Utica and punching its ticket to the 2026 Empire 8 Men's Lacrosse Championship Tournament with a dramatic late victory at Wright Stadium.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Utica 13 Hartwick 14
Location: Oneonta, N.Y. | Wright Stadium
Records: Utica (6-8, 5-3 Empire 8) • Hartwick (5-9, 5-3 Empire 8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
With a home playoff contest at stake, the Hawks and Pioneers squared off in one of the biggest conference tests of the season. Hartwick edged Utica in overtime last year to keep the Pioneers out of the postseason, and this season's matchup carried heavy implications once again.
The Hawks struck first as Spencer Hogaboom (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) buried a shot past the Utica keeper off an assist from Liam McManus (Skillman, N.J.). Utica answered quickly, winning the ensuing faceoff and scoring just six seconds later. After both defenses settled in, Ryan Nevins (Warwick, N.Y.) added an unassisted goal at 10:29, but the Pioneers responded with three unanswered tallies to take a 4-2 lead. McManus closed the quarter with a goal at the two-minute mark, beating the shot clock to pull Hartwick within one.
Trailing by one to start the second, McManus recorded his second straight point, feeding Hogaboom to tie the game at four. Utica reclaimed the lead with 9:27 remaining before a failed clear proved costly. Colin August (Garrison, N.Y.) forced a turnover, scooped up the ground ball, and finished one-on-one to knot the game at five. McManus followed with an unassisted strike to put Hartwick back in front, but the Pioneers answered with another three-goal run to take a two-goal advantage at 3:11. Senior attackman Colby Simonetti (Pittsford, N.Y.) chipped away with an unassisted tally, though Utica scored the final goal of the half to carry a two-goal lead into the break.
Utica opened the third quarter with another goal, building its largest lead of the game at three. Hogaboom sparked the Hawks' response, scoring at 8:24 off a feed from August and again unassisted at 4:42 to pull Hartwick within one. The Pioneers added another, but the Hawks stayed aggressive. Simonetti delivered two unassisted goals in the final 1:10 of the quarter, tying the game at 11 heading into the fourth.
After a defensive battle to begin the final frame, Hartwick broke through on a McManus rocket at 6:13. Steve Grossman (Magnolia, Del.) followed with a goal at 4:54, assisted by August, giving the Hawks a two-goal cushion. Utica refused to fade, scoring twice and tying the game at 13 with 1:38 remaining. The final minute brought more chaos as both teams scrambled for possession. After Hartwick turned the ball over with 40 seconds left, Utica's clearing attempt sailed off target. Ty Crowley (Wallkill, N.Y.) scooped up the ground ball and pushed into Pioneer territory before finding Mason Adams (Delmar, N.Y.), who slipped the game-winner past the keeper with 29 seconds left to complete the comeback.
Hogaboom led the offensive charge with four goals, while Simonetti and McManus each added three. Adams, August, Grossman, and Nevins each scored once to round out the attack. McManus and August each dished out two assists, and Crowley added the decisive helper. Kaiden Johnson (Wakefield, Mass.) was outstanding in goal, making 22 saves, including several key stops late, to secure the pivotal win.
With the victory, the Hawks return to the Empire 8 Tournament and earn a home playoff game as the No. 4 seed on Tuesday. Additional details will be announced following the conclusion of the regular season on Saturday.
UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
Hartwick will host No. 12 St. John Fisher at Wright Stadium on Saturday, April 25 at 1 p.m.
About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.
