ALBANY, NY – Senior Annie Rubel scored three times and six other players added two goals each to lead the Nazareth Women's Lacrosse team to a 19-12 win over Russell Sage Saturday as the Golden Flyers closed out the regular season. The victory for Nazareth (9-7 overall, 6-1 Empire 8) secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Empire 8 Tournament and the Golden Flyers will host Utica Wednesday in one of the semifinal matchups.

The teams traded goals early before Rubel scored two consecutive goals to start a five-goal run that game the Golden Flyers a 6-1 lead.

Sage (5-8, 2-5 Empire 8) added a pair of goals in the final 36 seconds of the first quarter to cut the lead in half at 6-3.

Sophomores Grace Seither and Makenna Misiurewicz each scored to start the second quarter but Sage scored to make the score 8-4.

Senior Emma States scored the first of her two goals as Nazareth scored three of the next four goals including the third Rubel tally for an 11-5 Nazareth lead at halftime.

The Gators led off the second half with a goal but Nazareth rattled off five straight goals to extend the lead as senior Kate Metzler scored the first goal before Misiurewicz and States each scored their second goals of the contest. Freshman Izzy Geesler and sophomore Julia Deitz scored to cap the run and give the Golden Flyers a 16-6 lead with 7:35 left in the third quarter.

Sage rallied for three of the next four goals to keep out of the running clock situation and take the game into the final period.

Senior Maggie Vay and Deitz added goals early in the fourth as Nazareth regained the 10-goal lead.

The Gators scored three times in the closing minutes for the final margin of victory.

States led Nazareth with five points on two goals and three assists and Rubel finished with three goals and an assist for four points. Senior Maren Wallace, Misiurewicz and Metzler each had three points while senior Reva Mussi and Vay each scored twice.

Freshman Allie Klestinec and sophomore Tori Henchen combined to make eight saves for Nazareth.