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UTICA, N.Y. -- Freshman Haley DeVona scored her fourth goal of the game off as assist from sophomore Kate Rothrock with 1:14 left in the second half Sunday to lift visiting Nazareth to an 11-10 women's lacrosse victory over Utica in an Empire 8 Conference game at Gaetano Stadium.

The victory enabled Nazareth to salvage a weekend split of conference games. Nazareth was beaten for the first time in conference play at Ithaca Saturday, 16-6, and now stands at 9-3 overall and 4-1 in the E8. Utica dropped to 7-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play. There now is a three-way tie for first place in the conference standings with Nazareth, St. John Fisher and Stevens each holding 4-1 records. Ithaca is in fourth place at 4-2.

Nazareth had taken a seemingly safe 10-7 lead with just under nine minutes to play on a goal by senior Brooke Sullivan. Utica, however, rallied behind three straight goals by Megan Kane over a five-minute span to tie the score at 10-10. Her last goal was her fourth of the game and 36th of the season and came with 2:18 to play.

Nazareth then regrouped to get the game-winning score from DeVona, who leads the team with 26 goals. Three of her goals Sunday came in the first half, including two that came just 20 seconds apart in the closing minute of the half, to give the Golden Flyers a 6-5 lead at the break. Sophomore Jamie Martin and junior Carly Gates scored just 15 seconds apart early in the second half to extend Nazareth's lead to 8-5. Rothrock added a free-position goal as Nazareth maintained its three-goal cushion until Kane's three-goal flurry.

Rothrock finished with two goals and four assists for Nazareth. She leads the team with 35 points and is tied with DeVona with 35 points. Senior Bri Mancini also had a goal for Nazareth in the first half.

Nazareth's 11 goals came on just 18 shots. Utica also had a 24-21 edge in ground balls. Gates finished with seven ground balls and sophomore Leah Marvin had four ground balls and five draw controls. Senior Ashley Kirch played all 60 minutes in goal and made 12 saves.

The Golden Flyers are off until Saturday when they visit Hartwick for an Empire 8 Conference game.