Utica, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly men's lacrosse team lost a hard fought battle to the cross town rival Utica University Pioneers. Luke Taylor led the charge for the Wildcats, scoring a hat trick as well as picking up an assist. The Wildcats are now 5-5 on the season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

The Wildcats struck first just 17 seconds into the game when Luke Taylor ripped a shot past Utica goalie Patrick Oswald. Despite the quick deficit, Utica responded confidently. Ryan Considine and Noah Erickson each tallied goals to push Utica ahead 2–1 midway through the first. Taylor evened things up for Poly on a man-up opportunity, but the back-and-forth didn't stop there. Ryan Carroll scored late for  SUNY Poly, only to have Michael Reid of Utica answer less than 30 seconds later, sending the game into the second tied at 3–3.

SUNY Poly took control in the second quarter, led by solid goaltending from Joseph VanZandt and key offensive plays. Aeron Kliphon and Griffin LaFleur netted back-to-back goals to create a 5–3 cushion. After a Considine strike for Utica made it 5–4, the Wildcats capitalized on a slashing penalty to score a man-up goal from Cooper Fitzgerald. Taylor would add his third of the game with just over a minute remaining, sending SUNY Poly into halftime up 7–4.

Utica came out fast in the third with Nolan Shea scoring just 16 seconds into the half. However, SUNY Poly refused to let their lead slip. Griffin LaFleur added his second of the game, and Payton Thomas followed up with a crucial tally, assisted by Fitzgerald, to extend the Wildcats lead to 9–5. But just as Poly appeared to be pulling away, Utica clawed back with two quick goals from Quinn Orsini and Ryan Hollenbeck, cutting the lead to 9–7 entering the final frame.

With the momentum shifting, Utica seized control in the fourth. A man-up goal by Ryan Considine—his third of the game—brought the Pioneers within one.Then, with 2:27 left, Lucas Donahue tied the game at 9–9 on an unassisted effort. Just one minute later, Donahue struck again—this time assisted by Orsini—to give Utica its first lead since early in the second quarter. From there, Utica controlled possession and denied SUNY Poly any chance to equalize, including a last-second save by Oswald on Ryan Carroll's shot as time expired. The Wildcats would fall 10-9.