UTICA CITY COMPLETES 2025-26 SEASON

Utica City FC closed out its season in a high-scoring battle against the Milwaukee Wave, ultimately falling 11-7 in a game that featured momentum swings, highlight-reel finishes, and a relentless pace from start to finish.

Milwaukee struck early in the opening quarter, with Alex Sanchez finding the back of the net at 5:04 to make it 1-0, before doubling the lead at 6:16 with his second of the game. The Wave extended their advantage to 3-0 at 11:38 when Ricardo Carvalho finished a chance off a feed from Cam Will. Utica responded at 13:03, as Kyle Gehnrich ripped an absolute rocket from the left side off an assist from Geo Alves to get UCFC on the board and cut the deficit to 3-1 by the end of the first quarter.

Utica carried that momentum into the second quarter, beginning with a well-worked sequence at 5:31 as Sergio Pinal tapped the ball left to an open Thayssan Santos, who buried it to make it 3-2. The comeback continued at 10:37 when Juan Salazar fired a hard shot from the top of the box to even the score at 3-3. However, Milwaukee answered quickly at 11:46, with Ian Bennett restoring the Wave’s lead at 4-3, which held through halftime.

The third quarter delivered one of the most action-packed stretches of the season. Milwaukee opened scoring at 1:10 as Carvalho netted his second of the night to make it 5-3. Just over a minute later at 2:38, Cole Stephens broke in on a breakaway and finished to pull Utica within one at 5-4. The equalizer came at 4:57 when Sergio Pinal blasted a shot from the top of the box into the top corner to tie the game at 5-5. The Wave regained control at 7:02 through Javier Steinwascher, then extended the lead to 7-5 at 13:25 on a goal from Alex Steinwascher. Utica refused to go away, as Salazar capped off a smooth passing sequence around the horn at 14:50 to bring UCFC back within one at 7-6 heading into the final quarter.

Milwaukee added breathing room early in the fourth, as Shawn Azcueta scored at 1:33 to make it 8-6. Utica answered again at 6:12, with Willie Spurr heading home a cross from Meny Silva to cut the deficit to 8-7 and keep the comeback hopes alive. Pushing for the equalizer, Utica went to six attackers late, but Milwaukee capitalized on the empty net. Alex Steinwascher scored at 12:14 to make it 9-7, added another at 13:09 for 10-7, and Cesar Correa capped the scoring at 13:24 to seal the 11-7 final.

Despite the result, Utica City FC showed resilience throughout, battling back multiple times and delivering an entertaining, hard-fought performance in their final game of the season.