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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- It was the Empire 8 Conference opener Wednesday for women's soccer and host Nazareth needed a late second-half goal by senior Mary LoCicero to salvage a 1-1 tie against Utica under the lights on the artificial turf field.

Both teams are 0-0-1 in the Empire 8. Nazareth is 3-2-2 overall, while Utica's record moved to 2-3-2.

Nazareth had the majority of the possession time and finished with a 24-16 advantage in shots and a 7-2 edge in corner kicks. Utica, however, finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the 79th minute after a service into the penalty area resulted in a foul and a subsequent yellow card against Nazareth's Mary Kate Ordway. That set up a penalty kick opportunity for the Pioneers and Kierra Caissey blasted a shot past Nazareth keeper Hannah Miller for her third goal of the season and a 1-0 Pioneer advantage.

The Golden Flyers went into desperation mode and finally got the equalizing goal with less than six minutes left in regulation. Freshman Mallory Ott broke free along the right wing and centered a pass inside the box to LoCicero, whose first touch created some space for a left-footed shot that found the lower right corner of the net. It was LoCicero's third goal of the season.

Each team had chances in the two 10-minute overtime sessions before the draw was declared. Miller finished with seven saves for Nazareth, while Utica's Allison Wagner totaled 11 stops. Ordway had nine of Nazareh's 24 shots, while Ott and sophomore Caleigh Cahoon had four each

Nazareth had won the previous 12 meetings against the Pioneers, dating back to 2006. Nazareth had a 30-4 edge in the series, including a 17-1 advantage in Empire 8 Conference. Wednesday's game marked the first time the teams have played to a draw.

Nazareth resumes its E8 schedule Saturday on the road at Sage at 1 p.m.