BOXSCORE | CUMULATIVE STATS
UTICA, N.Y. -- Less than a week after returning from a highly successful spring trip to Florida, where they secured two impressive wins over top 10 teams, visiting Nazareth suffered a disappointing Empire 8 Conference defeat in men's lacrosse Wednesday as the Golden Flyers were stunned by Utica, 11-9.

The Golden Flyers had climbed to ninth in the latest Division III rankings compiled this week by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association after solid wins over Wesleyan and Western New England last week. The loss to the Pioneers, however, dropped Nazareth's overall record to 4-2 and its E8 mark to 1-1. Utica, with its first win ever over the Golden Flyers in eight tries, improved to 2-6 overall and 1-1 in conference games.

"It's disappointing that we didn't play with the same level of intensity that we had in Florida," said Nazareth Coach Rob Randall. "We had lots of chances, but they seemed to want it more than we did."

The Pioneers jumped on Nazareth early, scoring six times in the first quarter and the Golden Flyers could not recover. Second-quarter goals from Erinn O'Hara and Aaron Civalier trimmed the lead to 6-2, but Utica answered with a goal by Michael Bulger to open the second half to extend the lead to 7-2.

Four straight Nazareth goals -- Civalier, Doug Milano-Johnson, O'Hara and Matt Aloi -- brought the Golden Flyers to within one, 7-6, midway through the third quarter, but Utica responded with goals by Michael Schepis and John Giordano to close out the third quarter and another by Josh Turner just 15 seconds into the fourth to go back in front by four, 10-6.

Nazareth got fourth-quarter goals from Aloi, Milano-Johnson and Corey Remoli, but the Golden Flyers could not take advantage of a man-up opportunity late in the game as the Pioneers held on for the upset win.

Nazareth had a 42-31 shooting advantage, but Utica goalies Travis Wright and Anthony Carnevale combined for 18 saves. Sophomore Todd Dermody had nine saves for the Golden Flyers.

"That's the one stats that jumps out -- their goalie's 18 saves," said Randall.

The Golden Flyers will try to regroup for a an Empire 8 home game Saturday against Hartwick at 1 p.m.