ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Hartwick Men's Lacrosse team battled the No. 5 seed Utica Pioneers, falling in a back-and-forth thriller in the first round of the Empire 8 Men's Lacrosse Championship Tournament on Tuesday afternoon at Wright Stadium.
THE BASICS
Final Score: No.5 Utica 13 No.4 Hartwick 12
Location: Oneonta, N.Y. | Wright Stadium
Records: Utica (7-9, 8-1 Empire 8) • Hartwick (5-11, 5-4 Empire 8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hawks entered the first round of the Empire 8 Tournament against a familiar foe in the Utica Pioneers, having defeated the Pioneers with a final-minute goal last Wednesday to earn home-field advantage.
Utica came out aggressive, putting together a three-goal run over the first 10 minutes of the contest. Liam McManus (Skillman, N.J.) got the Blue and White on the board with an unassisted score at 4:54 after Utica netted its fourth of the quarter at 3:17. Spencer Hogaboom (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) sliced the deficit in half, taking a feed from Matthew Paquette (Newton, Mass.) and finding the back of the net at 1:24. Colby Simonetti (Pittsford, N.Y.) closed the quarter with his first score, with McManus picking up the assist.
The Pioneers opened the second quarter with another three-goal spurt, taking firm control of the frame while keeping the Hawks off the board for the majority of the period. Mason Adams (Delmar, N.Y.) broke the drought for the Hawks as Colin August (Garrison, N.Y.) helped set up the play with 1:18 remaining, sending Hartwick into the break trailing by three.
McManus got the second half underway with his second goal before the visitors added another three-goal stretch. The Hawks responded with a run of their own as Simonetti fired in an unassisted effort before August found his first tally, finishing an Adams assist. Adams then netted a goal of his own off a transition pass from Cael Lawson (Ontario, N.Y.). Despite the surge, the Pioneers struck twice in the final 1:25 of the third quarter to create a four-goal gap.
WIth the final 15 minutes underway, the Hawks turned to senior attackman Colin August to spark the comeback. August struck first in the fourth, finishing another helper from Adams at 12:01 before adding two unassisted goals at 9:41 and 5:47. Hogaboom then dished to McManus for the game-tying goal at 3:46, knotting the score at 12-12.
As time began to dwindle, the next goal loomed large. The Pioneers found the back of the net with 2:31 remaining to take a slim one-goal lead. Hartwick generated late opportunities, including a final look at 1:10, but was turned away. Utica maintained possession over the closing minute, ending the Hawks' eight-game winning streak against the Pioneers in the quarterfinal round of the Empire 8 Tournament.
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.
