UC Rallies Late for Thrilling OT Win in Opener at St. Lawrence

ANTON, NY – Utica junior quarterback Vinny Aloi (Chester, NY/Chester Academy) forced overtime when he tied the score at 6-6 after a 20 yard touchdown run with 32 seconds left in regulation and junior kicker Dan Tette (Rochester, NY/West Irondequoit) made his first career field goal in the first overtime to help lift the Utica College football team to a thrilling 9-6 victory over host St. Lawrence University at Leckonby Stadium Friday night. The Pioneers overcame 22 penalties (275 yards) and held the Saints to just 242 yards of total offense on the evening to find themselves with the ball and an opportunity to tie the contest up with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter. Aloi then scampered up the middle and found pay dirt from 20 yards out to knot the score at 6-6. UC missed the ensuing extra point to send the contest into overtime. Utica was able to hold St. Lawrence scoreless on its overtime possession by way of an interception by Elijah Belle(Plainfield, NJ/Plainfield). Aloi and Utica got the ball back and converted two first downs before Tette came on in relief of Maki Medici (Watervliet, NY/Shaker) and drilled the game-winner from 19 yards out to hand the Pioneers the three point win. Utica (1-0) has now defeated Union (0-1) in five consecutive meetings and improved to 14-4 all-time in season opening contests. The Utica offense racked up 384 yards on the afternoon. Senior running back Malcolm Stowe (Coram, NY/Longwood) carried the ball 21 times for 53 yards, while Aloi added 15 carries for 51 yards and the Pioneers' lone touchdown of the day. Aloi also completed 27-of-51 passes for 232 yards. Peyton Miller (Chemung, NY/Waverly) caught 10 balls for 89 yards, while Malcolm Stowe (Coram, NY/Longwood) added a career-high 10 catches for 70 yards. Imani Vincent (Brooklyn, NY/Sheepshead Bay) also hauled in five catches for 70 yards for the Pioneers. Utica's defense was led by Antonio Scala (Coram, NY/Longwood) who posted five tackles, two pass breakups, one interception, one tackle for a loss and one sack. Dylan Sekuterski (Depew, NY/Depew) registered a team-high seven tackles. Mark Taylor (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) and Shane Walpole (Mechanicville, NY/Shenendehowa) each added five tackles. Sekuterski, Anthony Beaubrun (West Hempstead, NY/West Hempstead) and Kwasi Addo (Menands, NY/Shaker) each posted one sack. St. Lawrence's Tyler Grochot completed 22 passes for 215 yards and threw the Saint's lone TD pass of the afternoon to Travis Marnell late in the first half to give the home team a 6-0 lead headed into the locker room at intermission. Marnell finished the day with six catches for 64 yards, while Andrew Murphy added six catches for 53 yards. Amir Mells led the St. Lawrence defense with 11 tackles on the evening, while Tyler Mirable chipped in with three of the Saints five sacks. The Pioneers return home next Saturday when they host Catholic University for their home opener at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium at 12 p.m. The first 250 fans will receive an orange rally towel and fans are encouraged to wear orange to participate in the Pioneers' annual "Orange Out". Saturday's home opener will be sponsored by First Source Federal Credit Union.