UCFC ENDS HEATS' PLAYOFF CHANCES WITH 8-5 WIN

UTICA, NY – Utica City FC hosted Harrisburg for the final time this season and completed their season sweep of the Heat. Andrew Hoxie and Nate Bourdeau each had three point games, while UCFC won 8-6 to tally their sixth win of the year over Harrisburg.

The Heat jumped on Utica City early, and took a 2-0 lead. Dominic Francis and Danny DiPrima each scored unassisted goals in the first 12 minutes. Utica City would find some momentum off of Quenton Swift’s goal. He caught it off the wall from Andrew Hoxie and cut the Harrisburg lead to one.

In the second, Harrisburg’s Malcom Harris got a powerplay goal at 4:14 to extend the lead back to two. From there, UCFC would score five unanswered and earn a 6-3 lead. It started when Joey Tavernese buried his team leading 15^th goal of the year. Cristhian Segura would follow suit at 13:36 of the 2^nd and tie the game at three before the first half came to an end.

The third quarter would start all Utica City. Andrew Hoxie got the first goal at 2:35 of the frame, and just 27 seconds later Juan Alava would score on an assist from Jake Schindler. Nate Bourdeau added the fifth unanswered tally, and UCFC held a three goal lead.

Harrisburg’s Ty Hall and Raphael Araujo scored less than a minute apart to stifle UCFC’s dominance. After Swift’s second of the game, Utica City led 7-5. Nate Bourdeau scored while Harrisburg had the extra attacker out, and sealed the 8-6 win.

Swift and Hoxie each had three point days for Utica City, with Swift’s two goals leading the team. UCFC plays again on the road Friday at Baltimore before returning home to battle the Florida Tropics on Sunday, March 27^th at 2 P.M. Tickets are still available at uticacityfc.com/tickets.