Nazareth takes down Hartwick,12-8
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Host Nazareth scored the first eight goals of the game Saturday and held off a late charge by Hartwick to take a 12-8 women's lacrosse victory over the Hawks in an Empire 8 Conference game.
Nazareth improved to 4-1 in conference games and 6-6 overall. Hartwick dropped to 5-7 overall and 1-4 in the E8. Nazareth plays again Sunday against 17th-ranked Stevens at 2 p.m.
Junior Erinn Wood paced Nazareth with three goals and three assists. Juniors Alyssa Johnston and Megan Cregan each scored twice as did sophomore Amy McIntosh and freshman Brooke Sullivan.
Cregan scored both of her goals within the first four minutes to give the Golden Flyers an early advantage. Nazareth went on to score six more times in the first 15 minutes to build a commanding 8-0 advantage. Johnston scored twice during that stretch with Wood, McIntosh, Sullivan and freshman Brianna Mancini also scoring.
A goal by Hartwick's Erin Doyle broke the string and triggered a four-goal outburst for the Hawks, who scored the last three goals of the first half and the first one of the second to draw within 8-4. Consecutive goals by Wood, McIntosh and Sullivan pushed Nazareth's advantage back to 11-4.
Hartwick closed out the game by scoring four of the last five goals to make the score 12-8. Brittany LaVaute finished with three goals for the Hawks, who visit St. John Fisher Sunday.
Nazareth had a 32-23 advantage in shotsand an 18-16 edge in ground balls. Sophomore goalie
Tara Prosak had 11 saves and scooped up a team-best four ground balls. Hartwick goalie Steph Luce also had 11 saves.