UTICA, NY – Junior Quinn McKercher and senior Clifford Pollard scored two goals each and freshman Luke Suchyna won seven of the first eight faceoffs as the Nazareth Men's Lacrosse team jumped out to an early 8-0 lead in the first quarter and cruised to a 22-3 win over Utica University in an Empire 8 game Saturday in Gaetano Stadium.

Six different players scored the first six goals for Nazareth (5-6 overall, 2-0 Empire 8) with Pollard and McKercher each scoring once along with freshman Matthew Farrington, seniors Jack McOsker and Greg Bilek and junior Quinn Conroy.

McKercher and Pollard added their second goals in the final minutes of the opening quarter as Nazareth took the early 8-0 lead.

Utica (4-7, 0-1 Empire 8) opened the second quarter with a goal before Nazareth rattled off five more goals to take a commanding 13-1 lead at halftime. McOskar scored along with two goals each from freshman Louis Cogliandro and Bilek.

Bilek added another goal to start the third period and Pollard scored his third of the game with 12 seconds left in the period as the Golden Flyers led 15-2 after three periods.

In the fourth quarter, Cogliandro scored 25 seconds in and junior Reece Wieder, freshman Jake Schroll, freshman William Meagher and sophomore Andy Hamel scored to increase the lead to 20-2 before the Pioneers scored to stop the scoring streak.

Sophomore Michael Bergan and junior Sal Ingrassia each scored down the stretch for the final score.

Nazareth used four goalies with each playing one quarter as graduate student Eric Almquist (3 saves), senior Carson Pickeral (3 saves), sophomore Colin Perks (2 saves) and freshman McLean Ralston (3 saves) combined for the win.

Nazareth will face Cortland in a non-conference game Tuesday at home before returning to Empire 8 play Friday at Alfred.