UTICA CITY BEATS HARRISBURG ON EVE OF HOME OPENER

Harrisburg, PA - Utica City FC (1-1) kicked off the opening leg of a home-and-home series against the Harrisburg Heat on the road in Harrisburg with a 4-3 win. They’ll return to Utica to take on the Heat again tomorrow at 3 PM. Tickets are still available for the home opener at uticacityfc.com.tickets

The pace to kick off the first quarter was a stark contrast from the previous game for Utica City FC. Both teams were unable to find the back of the net, opening the game with a low-shooting affair. Andrew Coughlin made an acrobatic save on a shot from midfield to keep things knotted at zero, but Danny DiPrima broke the deadlock and gave the Heat a 1-0 lead halfway through the second quarter. Dylan Hundelt tallied his first as a member of UCFC with 3:53 remaining in the quarter to bring the score back to level at 1-1. Bradley Kerstetter was the fortunate recipient of a spiraling pass off of a free kick that found its way to his open boot, regaining the lead for the Heat just 31 seconds after the Hundelt goal and taking them into the half ahead by one.

Utica City opened the third quarter in markedly better fashion as Steven Fernandez came out swinging for UCFC with a superb strike with 11:43 to bring it back to even. Later in the quarter, Isaak Somow bounced a ball off boards and Cristhian Segura finished it to give Utica City their first lead of the game. As time ticked down in the quarter, the Heat struck back with 11 seconds to play. DiPrima notched his second of the game. The teams headed into the 4th tied up at three.

Gordy Gurson put UCFC back on top with another goal off a feed from the wall. The pace picked up with under a minute to go in the game as Logan Roberts and Andrew Coughlin made game-saving stops to preserve the one-goal lead. Ultimately, the Heat were unable to tally a late goal and UCFC sealed their first win of the season.

Tomorrow, the rivalry is renewed once again on the blue turf. Utica City hosts Harrisburg at 3pm at the Adirondack Bank Center. Tickets are still available at uticacityfc.com/tickets.