Box Score Nazareth 19, Utica 7 -
Box Score
Utica, NY – The Nazareth College men's lacrosse jumped out to a 12-1 lead in the first 30 minutes of play and never looked back as the Golden Flyers topped the Utica College, 19-7, in the Empire 8 Conference opener for both teams at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Wednesday afternoon. Junior
Ben Winkler (Rodman, NY/IHC) led the Pioneers with three goals, while senior
Oliver Barney (Vestal, NY/Vestal) chipped in with one goal and two assists to pace the Pioneers.
UC's record fell to 5-3 overall and 0-1 in the E8, while the Golden Flyers rebounded from a 13-8 loss at fifth-ranked Amherst to even their overall record at 4-4 on the year. Kyle Fanning netted a career-best five goals for the visitors and Brian Wright totaled a game-high seven points on four assists and three goals.
The Golden Flyers won 21-of-30 face-offs, and they also earned a 46-28 advantage in the
ground ball department, as they controlled possession for the majority of the contest. Drew Simoneau won 15 face-offs for Naz and he also scooped up 12 ground balls. Simoneau won the opening face-off and cruised into the Pioneer zone to score his first of the day just 12 seconds into the contest as the Golden Flyers set the tone early in the first half.
Nazareth rattled off nine straight goals before Winkler got the Pioneers on the board with his first of three at the 11:18 ledger in the second quarter to cut the UC deficit to 9-1. That was all the scoring UC would get in the first half as the visitors earned a convincing 12-1 lead the intermission.
Winkler and junior
Justin Edelstein (Hartsdale, NY/Harvey School) kept the Pioneers in the contest, as they combined for three goals in the third quarter to help cut the lead to 16-4 headed into the final quarter of action.
Barney, Winkler and sophomore
Joe Schoen (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) each tallied a goal in the fourth quarter to close out the Pioneer scoring, but it proved to be too late as the Golden flyers earned a convincing 19-7 victory.
Nazareth went 4-for-7 on man-up opportunities, while UC went 3-of-9 with a one man advantage. Sophomore
Scott Baron (Flemington, NJ/Cushing Academy) tallied one assist for UC, while classmate
Dan Duffy (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) and junior
Trent Thomas (Akwesasne, ONT/Massena) each recorded one assist as well.
Greg Geiss (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) tallied a career-high eight ground balls for the Pioneers, and senior defender
Mick Krajacic (Clay, NY/Cicero North Syracuse) added a team-high four caused turnovers. Senior goalie
Wilson Mukrdechian (Watertown, NY/Watertown) stopped seven shots in nearly 40 minutes of action as he relieved
Joe Davis (Vestal, NY/Vestal) early in the second quarter.
Simoneau, Matt Sammarco, and Nate DeLone each registered two goals for the visitors, while Chris Peterson added five ground balls, one goal and two assists. Naz starting goalie Tim Doyle stopped 12 shots in his fourth win of the year.
Utica hopes to rebound on Saturday when it travels to Potsdam State for a non-conference contest at 1 p.m.
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