UTICA, NY – The Wilkes University men's lacrosse team fell 9-6 to the Utica University Pioneers during a close non-conference game on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Colonels fall to 2-6 on the season, and the Pioneers move to 4-5 overall.
 
In the first quarter, each team was able to score twice. The Pioneers struck first with about eight minutes left in the quarter, but Tucker Parmer (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata) was quick to answer back for the Colonels less than a minute later. Utica found the net once again with around six minutes left in the quarter, but with less than two minutes left Jacob Kudysch (Stratford, CT/Frank Scott Bunnell) was able to score for Wilkes and tie things up at two. Goalkeeper Joseph Marino (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) had six saves on eight shots on goal.
 
Utica had 11 shots in the first quarter and goalkeeper Patrick Oswald had five saves.
 
The Pioneers scored once early in the second quarter giving them a 3-2 lead over the Colonels which lasted for about three minutes. Tim Hartka (Phoenix, MD/Calvert Hall) was able to score to tie things back up with an assist from Dillon Kadis (McSherrystown, PA/Delone Catholic), then Luke Weakland (Sparks, MD/Hereford) scored to give Wilkes a 4-3 lead. At the half, the Colonels had 24 ground balls compared to the Pioneers' eight. Marino had five saves on six shots on goal.
 
Utica had 12 shots in the second quarter and Oswald had three saves.
 
The third quarter was busy with a total of seven goals being scored. Utica scored first to tie the game, but Henry O'Connor (Baltimore, MD/Dulaney) was able to bury one giving the lead back to Wilkes. The Pioneers then scored twice within one minute, giving them a 6-5 lead over the Colonels. Kadis scored with six minutes left in the third quarter to bring things back to a tie, but Utica was able to put two more away in the last minute of the third going into the fourth quarter leading Wilkes 8-6. The Colonels out-shot the Pioneers 14-8 in the third quarter. Marino had two saves on seven shots on goal.
 
The Pioneers had eight shots in the third quarter and Oswald added five saves.
 
Wilkes was unable to score in the fourth quarter and Utica scored once more to secure their 9-6 win over the Colonels. Wilkes remained dominant with ground balls having nine in the quarter compared to Utica's three.
 
The Colonels had a total of 39 shots in the game. Weakland and Kudysch had the most shots for Wilkes with eight each, followed by Parmer with five and Kadis and Colby Opromolla (Patterson, NY/Carmel) with four each. Marino had a total of 19 saves on 28 shots on goal.
 
The Pioneers also had a total of 39 shots in the game, and Oswald had 16 saves on 22 shots on goal.
 
Wilkes won 10 of 19 face-offs with Luke Wawrzynek (Harleysville, PA/Souderton Area) winning nine and Bradley Anacreon (Nesconset, NY/Sachem North) winning one, and was 28-31 on clears. Utica won 9 of 19 face-offs and were 31-17 on clears.
 
The Colonels had a total of 48 ground balls in the game, led by Hunter Riley (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa Central) with 10. He was followed by Michael Rauch (Jackson, NJ/Jackson) with five. The Pioneers had a total of 32 ground balls.
 
Wilkes had 10 caused turnovers in the game with O'Connor having two and eight other Colonels each earning one. Utica had 11 caused turnovers in the game.
 
The Wilkes men's lacrosse team returns to action on Wednesday when they open up Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play hosting Arcadia University for a 7:00 p.m. start.