ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Visiting Cortland used a 6-2 scoring advantage in the second quarter Wednesday to rally from an early deficit to take an 18-15 women's lacrosse win over Nazareth in a non-conference game on the artificial turf field.

The Red Dragons, ranked 21st nationally in Division III, took a 9-6 lead into halftime and never trailed in the second half to improve to 10-4 overall following their ninth straight win. Nazareth, which got a career-best eight points (5g, 3a) from Emma States, dropped to 5-8 overall.

In addition to eight points from States, who stands at 92 career goals, Nazareth got four goals from Emma Robinson and three goals from Reva Mussi. Annie Rubel, Eleanor Matz and Liddie Hoare also had goals. Emma Parry enjoyed another solid defensive game with 12 draw controls, four ground balls and four caused turnovers. She leads the Golden Flyers in all three of those statistical categories with 60 draw controls, 34 ground balls and 29 caused turnovers.

Cortland scored the first two goals of Wednesday's game, but Nazareth matched that with first-quarter tallies from States and Matz. Cortland scored again, then Nazareth got a goal from Mussi and a free-position tally from Rubel with :14 left in the period, to take a 4-3 lead. 

The Red Dragons seized control in the second quarter with an 11-5 edge in shots that resulted in a 6-2 advantage in goals. Robinson scored for Nazareth with :47 left in the period to keep Nazareth within striking distance at 8-6, but Cortland's Hannah Lorenzen countered with :07 left as the Red Dragons regained their three-goal cushion.

Mussi scored the first two goals of the third quarter as Nazareth closed within 9-8, but Cortland countered with four of the next five goals to open up a four-goal lead. States scored for Nazareth with :50 left in the period to make it 13-10 after three.

States and Robinson each scored twice in the fourth quarter, but Lorenzen scored her seventh goal of the game early in the period  to keep the Red Dragons in control.

Cortland had a 37-30 overall edge in shots. Nazareth's Emma Prosak had 11 saves in goal, while Paige Potter had eight for Cortland.

Wednesday's game was the first of four straight at home to close out the regular season for Nazareth. The Golden Flyers host Russell Sage Saturday as they resume their Empire 8 Conference schedule at 4 p.m.