POTSDAM, N.Y.- Sophomore forward Brooke Falsion (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) scores twice as the SUNY Potsdam women's soccer team (2-1) run past Utica College (0-3) with a 5-2 score on Wednesday night. Sophomore midfielder Rachael Venne (Ellenberg, N.Y./Northern-Adirondack), freshman midfielder Ciara Norris (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) and sophomore midfielder Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) each scored a goal for the Bears. Senior goalie Bri Thibeau (Salem, N.Y./Salem) finished with two saves after 83:39 in goal before freshman goalie Julie Pijacki (Lancaster, N.Y./St. Mary's) came in to finish out the game.

The Bears struck first at the 12:38 minute mark when Venne picked up a loose ball at the top of the box and sent a high shot over Jamie Enders for the 1-0 lead. Less than six minutes later, a called foul lined up Potsdam for a free kick. Murray dropped the ball in, in front of Enders and Norris headed it home. The Bears defense didn't allow a Utica shot until the 21:24 minute mark and kept them scoreless through the first 45 minutes. The Bears added two more goals before the end of the half. Senior captain Kaylen Van Wagner (Red Hook, N.Y./Hotchkiss) sent a cross into the box and Falsion tapped it into the left corner of the net for her first goal of the contest. Four minutes later, Murray picked up her first goal of the season with a shot from the top of the box that sailed inside the right post to give Potsdam the 4-0 lead at the end of the half. The Bears outshot the Pioneers 11-2.

The shutout was broken up less than seven minutes into the second half, when Keri Berkowitz found the back of the net. At the 59:18, Utica cut Potsdam's score in half with a long shot from Abby Reilly that slipped under the crossbar. Both teams battled back over the next 20 minutes of play before Falsion tacked on her second goal. Sophomore forward Olivia Seamans (Bolton Landing, N.Y./Bolton) sent a shot into the goal but keeper Allison Wagner made the save. Falsion picked up the rebound and booted it past Wagner. Each team managed to get one shot each to close out the game, but the score remained 5-2 for the Potsdam victory.

Enders finished with five saves in the first 45 minutes and Wagner stopped four in the second half for Utica. Potsdam's Pijacki was unchallenged in the last 6:21 of the game.

The Bears outshot the Pioneers 20-10, while they were even in corner kicks with five.

Potsdam returns to Maxcy Turf Friday to battle Johnson State at 4:30 p.m.