Box Score Summary
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Second-seeded Nazareth got fourth-period goals from
Annie Rubel and
Emma Robinson Saturday to rally past Utica for a thrilling 10-9 women's lacrosse victory in the Empire 8 Conference semifinals at St. John Fisher's Growney Stadium.
It was Nazareth's second win over the Pioneers in a week and vaulted the Golden Flyers into Sunday's conference championship game, where they will vie for their first league title since 2006.
Nazareth will play top-seeded St. John Fisher Sunday for the conference title at 12:30 p.m. The Cardinals (9-8) defeated Hartwick, 18-6, in Saturday's other semifinal. Sunday's game will be available on local radio station 95.7 The Fan.
To win Saturday, Nazareth overcame a four-goal deficit as well as a scoring drought that lasted nearly 30 minutes.
Emma States led the Golden Flyers with three goals and two assists and Robinson also scored three times. Kate Lawrence gained the start in goal and finished with 10 saves.
Still trailing 9-8 heading into the fourth quarter, Nazareth got the tying goal from Rubel, who finished off a pass from States with 11:31 to play, and Robinson netted the game-winner on a free position shot just over a minute later.
Lawrence needed to make just one save thereafter, but the Golden Flyers also forced three turnovers down the stretch.
Emma Parry was strong defensively again with four caused turnovers and eight draw controls.
Nazareth took a 4-2 lead in the first quarter as States scored twice and Robinson and
Emily Paddock also scored. After Paddock's goal with 7:15 left in the first, Utica rallied for six straight goals between the end of the first quarter and into the third for an 8-4 lead. Nazareth, meanwhile, had a scoreless stretch of 29:07 before
Reva Mussi converted a free position shot with 8:38 left in the third.
States and Robinson also scored in the third to trim Utica's lead to 8-7. The Pioneers scored again with 2:59 left in the third before absorbing a drought of their own for the final 17:59 of the game.
Mussi's second goal of the quarter cut the lead to 9-8 heading to the fourth, where Rubel and Robinson delivered for Nazareth.
