UTICA, NY- The Utica College men’s lacrosse team lost to visiting Hartwick College Wednesday afternoon 15-8 on the turf at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium in Empire 8 Conference action. Freshman Vito DeMola (Sachem East/Holtsville) led the way for the ‘Wick with five goals and one assist on 17 total shots. 

            With the win, the Hawks improved to 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Empire 8 Conference.  The Pioneers dropped to 3-9 overall and their lone conference win of the season is still an 11-9 victory over nationally-ranked

Prep) ripped a shot from 15 yards out past UC goalie Travis Wright at the 5:17 mark of the first quarter to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.  Ryan Welch (Greenwich/Greenwich, CT), a senior midfielder, assisted on the games opening goal.  

            Hartwick closed out the first quarter with three goals in the final 1:27 to take a 4-0 lead in into the first intermission.  Tyler Beeson (Downingtown West/Downingtown, PA), Tim Gill (Massapequa/Massapequa) and Vogler scored the first period’s final three goals within 36 seconds of each other.
            The Hawks continued to pour on the goals in the second quarter, netting six goals over the course of 15 minutes.  The Pioneers were out shot 28-8 in the first half and UC turned the ball over 16 times compared to the Hawks ten.  The lone bright spot of the Pioneers scoreless first half was a commanding 9-of-12 face off advantage. 
            The second period was highlighted by two goals from freshman Vito DeMola, who netted two goals to eclipse the 30 goal mark on the season.  DeMola assisted classmate Ryan Kloss (Hillsborough/Hillsborough, NJ) with 39 seconds left in the first half to give the Hawks a Hawks 10-0 lead headed into halftime.
            The Pioneers played an even third quarter with both teams scoring two goals and the Hawks hanging onto a ten goal lead.  Team leading scorer Dave Misiaszek (New Hartford/New

) netted the Pioneers first tally of the day on an assist from Michael Bulger (IHC/Watertown) at the 9:13 mark.  DeMola answered right back with his 31^st goal of the season for HC.

            The Pioneers then scored consecutive goals for the first time all day when Bulger scored his 14^th of the year on an assist from Andrew Waite (Lowville/Lowville) with just under six minutes to go in the third quarter.  UC freshman attack Ryan Schmidt (Whitesboro/Whitesboro) opened the final stanza with an unassisted goal to cut the Hawks lead to 11-3. 
            That would be as close as the Pioneers would get as Hartwick netted four of the next five goals to increase their lead to 15-4.  UC added four goals in the final moments of the closing quarter but it was not enough as the Hawks rolled to a seven goal victory.   
            Senior goalie Paul Phelan (Liverpool/Liverpool) and junior transfer Travis Wright (Watertown/Watertown) stopped a combined 17 shots for UC, while John Meade (Islip/Oceanbeach) played a stellar game in net for the Hawks stopping nine shots. 
            UC returns to play Saturday against visiting

in Empire 8 Conference action at 1:00 p.m.