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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Senior Alyssa Johnston scored four of her five goals in the second half Tuesday as visiting Nazareth squeaked out a 9-8 women's lacrosse victory over RIT in a non-conference game on RIT's Artificial Turf Field.

Nazareth improved to 3-4 overall, while RIT dropped to 5-2. The Golden Flyers open their Empire 8 Conference schedule Friday at home against Alfred at 4 p.m.

Tuesday's game was close throughout with neither team leading by more than two goals. The Golden Flyers used a four-goal flurry over a five-minute stretch late in the second half to turn a 7-5 deficit into a 9-7 lead. Johnston initiated the run with an unassisted score with 9:29 left. Senior Megan Cregan and sophomore Brooke Sullivan each added unassisted goals as Nazareth took the lead for good at 8-7.

Just :32 after Sullivan's goal, Johnston added her fifth goal of the game and team-leading 20th goal of the season on a free-position shot with 4:02 to go to make the score 9-7.

RIT's Sage Sarkis scored her third goal of the game with 1:14 to go to trim Nazareth's lead to 9-8, but Nazareth goalie Tara Prosak saved a free-position attempt by Sarkis with :56 left to preserve the one-goal advantage and the Golden Flyers were able to run out the remaining seconds. Prosak finished with a season-high 14 saves.

The game was tied 3-3 at halftime as the Golden Flyers got goals from Amy McIntosh, Carly Gates and Johnston.

RIT, which had a 27-26 edge in shots, also got three goals from senior Shelby Vakiener and two from Holly Leone. Nazareth had a 22-19 edge in ground balls. McIntosh and freshman Kayla McKay each had three ground balls.