ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Second-half goals by Jimmy Gaffney and Luke Elston lifted host Nazareth to a 2-1 men's soccer victory over Ithaca in an Empire 8 Conference game Saturday at Golden Flyer Stadium.
The Golden Flyers closed out their regular-season conference schedule with a 4-2 record and clinched the second seed for next month's E8 Tournament. The Golden Flyers won for the third straight time and for the fifth time in their last six games and improved to 9-6 overall. Ithaca dropped to 4-7-1 overall and 3-2 in conference games. As the second seed, Nazareth will host at least a first-round tournament game Friday, Nov. 4.
In Saturday's game, Nazareth dominated statistically, but the game remained scoreless through the first 45 minutes. Nazareth outshot Ithaca 21-7 overall, including 12-1 in the first half. Nazareth also had an 11-5 edge in corner kicks.
Nazareth finally broke through in the 50th minute as Gaffney delivered his second goal of the season as he headed in a corner kick off the foot of sophomore James Wheeler.
The Golden Flyers continued to put pressure on the Bombers and scored again in the 62nd minute as Elston netted his team-leading seventh goal of the season off a volley from sophomore Ryan Foley, who gained his fifth assist of the season.
The momentum swung in Ithaca's direction over the final 10 minutes and the Bombers got on the scoreboard in the 82nd minute as freshman Adam Tamburello rifled a shot through a maze of players for his first goal of the season. Just over two minutes later, the Bombers came close to tying the score, but Ryan Norland's header deflected off the left goal post.
Nazareth keeper Kyle Connolly finished with two saves while Ithaca's Jordan Gentile had nine.