Box Score l Updated Stats

ALFRED, NY – The Nazareth women's hoops team started off Empire 8 Conference play on the right foot Friday night, handling host Alfred 88-64 behind 23 points from Sam Sorge.  Sorge finished the game 8-for-17 (47 percent) from the floor, with six rebounds.

Nazareth gets back to .500 on the season at 5-5 with the win, while moving to 1-0 in conference play.  Meanwhile, Alfred drops to 2-9 and 0-2, respectively. 

The Golden Flyers came out scorching from the floor in the opening half, drilling 16-of-25 shots taken, good for 64 percent.  That included going 5-for-11 from 3-point range (45 percent).

Samantha Peebles gave Nazareth the lead for good at 7-6 on a 3-pointer nearly four minutes into the first quarter.  She had 12 of her 21 points in the first half, finishing 7-for-11 from the floor. 

Rachel Benedict also had 12 points in the first half, as Nazareth took a 45-30 lead into the break.

In the third quarter, the Saxons nipped the lead to single digits at the 8:09 mark, however, two free throws from Lizzie Straub a minute later gave the Golden Flyers a double digit advantage they would not surrender the rest of the game.

Nazareth's largest lead was 70-43 early in the fourth quarter.

Lucille Dellos poured in her first collegiate points, going 3-for-4 en route to eight points.  Hannah Wright also scored her first points in the Purple and Gold, dropping five points.

Delaney Martin poured in five points for Nazareth.

The Golden Flyers made their free throws count throughout the game, knocking down 21-of-24 (88 percent).

Nazareth will travel to Houghton College on Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest.