UTICA RIGGIES SCORE 7 UNANSWERED TO POWER PAST WAVE, 10-6

Utica, NY- The Adirondack Bank Center traded in the blue turf for the red and white of the Utica Riggies logo. After 3 straight losses for Utica, the team used the new logo to provide a boost in on-field performance. Kelvin Oliveira, back in Utica after a victorious King’s World Cup of Nations, scored 5 goals and tacked on three assists to lead Utica to a 10-6 victory. 

It took a while for both teams to get going, but Milwaukee got on the board first. Tony Walls opened the scoring for the Wave 5 minutes in off of a rebound from Ian Bennett. Milwaukee quickly doubled its lead 3 minutes later through Breno Oliveira. Utica showed some individual class when Kelvin blasted one into the net at the 13:53 mark in the first quarter. The scoreline held at 2-1 for the remainder of the first. 

The Riggies picked up where they left off, scoring just 47 seconds into the second quarter. Junior Pinal continued his 6-game goal streak with an amazing solo goal, tying the game at 2-2. The joy was short lived for Utica, as Mario Alvarez restored the 1 goal Wave advantage with a spectacular effort at the 3:41 mark in the second. Alvarez then bagged himself a brace just 4 minutes later with another long range effort to make it 4-2. Breno Oliveira made the lead 3 with a bullet into the roof of the net at the 11:10 mark. Kelvin then capped off a crazy quarter, putting one past William Banahene to cut the deficit to 2 for the Riggies. His 14th goal of the season made it a 5-3 score at halftime.

Kelvin picked up right where he left off early in the 2nd half, getting a tricky backheel past Banahene to make it 5-4 in favor of Milwaukee. That goal marked the 5th consecutive hat trick for the Brazilian. Kelvin then bagged his 4th goal of the game just 20 seconds later, tying the game at 5-5. Utica continued its second half onslaught when Juan Alava gave the Riggies their first lead of the game at the 10:51 mark in the third quarter. It took just 28 seconds for the lead to stretch to 2–Logan Roberts grabbed his first goal of the game, putting one straight into the top corner. Then after a mixup by Banahene, Kelvin made it 8-5 with a lob from inside his own half.

The 4th quarter was more of the same for the Riggies. Nilton de Andrade and Gordy Gurson made it 7 unanswered goals for Utica, who built up to a 10-5 lead. Despite a late goal from Ian Bennett, Milwaukee wasn’t able to reclaim the lead as Utica held on for the 10-6 victory. Utica spent the moments defending a sixth attacker, and kept the 4-goal lead until the final horn. 

The Riggies are back in action at home tomorrow, finishing up a back-to-back series with the Milwaukee Wave. Kickoff from the Adirondack Bank Center is scheduled for 3:05 PM EST, and tickets are available at ucfctickets.com 

Article written by Andrew Forster