UTICA, N.Y. – Senior goalie Sonny Holding set Lebanon Valley records for saves in a career and a game, but Utica College defeated Lebanon Valley 4-1 in an ECAC West ice hockey game Saturday evening.

With the loss, Lebanon Valley fell to 4-19 and 0-13 in the ECAC West. Utica improved to 12-8-3 and 7-4-2 in conference play.

Needing 39 saves entering the game to surpass the LVC career mark of 1,625 held by Kevin Block ’02, Holding broke the record and then some. Facing a 61-shot Utica barrage, he made a school-record 57 saves, eclipsing the former record of 53 set by Lincoln Matlock ’02 in a 5-1 win over Hobart College on Nov. 18, 2000.

Holding now owns Lebanon Valley records for saves in a career, game, and season. He set the LVC single-season saves record in 2004-05 with 632 stops.

Utica also defeated the Flying Dutchmen 5-3 on Friday evening and never trailed in either game. With 11:29 left in the opening period and Utica on a power play, Colin Kingston scored the first of his two goals to put the Pioneers on top 1-0. But LVC pulled even when senior Jason Slusher scored his third unassisted goal in two games to make it 1-1 heading into the first intermission.

The Pioneers scored what held up as the game-winning goal when Nick Lynch lit the lamp 2:53 before the end of the second period. Utica added a pair of power-play goals 28 seconds apart early in the third period.

Adam Dekker made 18 saves to come away with the win in goal for the Pioneers.

Lebanon Valley concludes its season when it hosts Elmira College in a two-game set on Friday and next Saturday at Twin Ponds East. The two clubs will face off on 7 p.m. on Friday and 2:30 on Saturday.

Lebanon Valley  1 0 0 - 1
Utica                   1 1 2 - 4

FIRST PERIOD
U – Colin Kingston (Tony Wiseman, Nick Lynch), ppg, 8:41
LV – Jason Slusher (unassisted), ppg, 14:51
SECOND PERIOD
U – Nick Lynch (Joe Watson, Greg Johannesen), 17:07
THIRD PERIOD
U – Colin Kingston (Vinny Renaldi, Josh Merson), ppg, 2:32
U – Kevin Krogol (TJ Schneider, Phil Boots), ppg, 3:00

Shots: Lebanon Valley 19. Utica 61.
Saves: Lebanon Valley (Sonny Holding) 57. Utica (Adam Dekker) 18.
Penalties: Lebanon Valley 12 for 24. Utica 9 for 18.
Power Plays: Lebanon Valley 1 for 6. Utica 3 for 9.
Team Records: Lebanon Valley 4-19, 0-13 ECAC West. Utica 12-8-3, 7-4-2 ECAC West.

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