| 4/19/2005 6:51:24 PM
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UTICA, NY -- The RIT (7-5, 5-1 Empire 8) held off a late rally to defeat Utica College, 19-14 on Tuesday afternoon. Freshman Andrew Ruocco (Corning, NY/Corning East) (Corning, NY/Corning East) led the Tigers with eight points on seven goals and an assist.
The Tigers opened the game with a four-goal outburst. Colin Jesien (Cambridge, MD/Cambridge-S. Dorchester) (Cambridge, MD/Cambridge-S. Dorchester), Ruocco, Brandon Wilkin (Penfield, NY/Penfield) (Penfield, NY/Penfield) and Jacob Cannan (Irondequoit, NY/Irondequoit) (Irondequoit, NY./rondequoit) each scored in the first quarter to give RIT a 4-0 lead.
The Pioneers answered with a four-goal run of their own to tie the score at 4-4 midway through the second quarter.
Zach Bednarz (Webster, NY/Webster) (Webster, NYWebster-Schroeder) gave the Tigers a 5-4 lead with 7:28 to play in the half with his man-up goal on an assist from Jesien.
Utica closed out th half with a pair of goals from Justin Schmidt and Andrew Singer to give the Pioneers a 6-5 lead at the half.
The Tigers came out in the third quarter and scored eight straight goals to take a 13-6 lead. Ruocco had four of RIT's eight goals, while Bednarz, David Thering (Fairport, NY/Fairport) (Fairport, NY/Fairport) and Stephen Papa (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) each added goals.
Utica finally got on the board in the third quarter when Matt Donaldson scored with 6:12 to play in the quarter to make the score 13-7.
Ruocco added his fifth goal of the quarter to make it 14-7 with 6:47 to play in the third.
After a Ryan McGowan goal made it 14-8 Papa tallied an unassisted goalwith 23 seconds to play to give RIT a 15-8 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
After Ruocco's eighth goal made it 16-8 the Pioneers tallied three straight goals to make it 16-11.
Brandon Wilkin (Penfield, NY/Penfield) and Papa scored consecutive goals to give RIT an 18-11 lead with 5:17 to play in the contest.
Utica answered right back, scoring three times tin a 1:06 span to cut RIT's lead down to 18-14. Donaldson, Blake Bernard and Nate Jobson each scored for the Pioneers to make it close.
Junior Joe Argese (Jordan, NY/Jordan-Elbridge) (Jordan,NY/Jordan-Elbridge) scored on an assist from Colin Jesien (Cambridge, MD/Cambridge-S. Dorchester) to give RITa 19-14 lead with 39 seconds to play, putting the game away.
John Foley (Guelph, Ontario/Our Lady of Lourdes) (Guelph, Ontario/Our Lady of Lourdes) started the game and played the first 30:00. He made five saves and allowed six goals.
Brad Conlon (Ottawa, Ontario/Bridgeton Academy) (Ottawa, Ontario/Bridgton Academy) played the second half and made five saves, allowing eight goals and picking up the win.
The Tigers will close out the regular season on Saturday when they travel to Hartwick College. That game gets underway at 1 p.m.
