ROCHESTER, NY – The Nazareth women's lacrosse team opened up Empire 8 play with a convincing 17-7 victory over Russell Sage on Saturday at NLPA Field. Graduate student Maggie Vay led the Golden Flyers with a season-high four goals, while Makenna Misiurewicz, Liddie Hoare, Kate Metzler and Emily Paddock all chipped in two goals apiece.
 
Nazareth moves to 4-6 overall and 1-0 in league play with the win, while the Gators drop to 4-4 and 0-1 in E8 play.
 
With the score tied 2-2, Nazareth gained some ground by scoring the next five goals of the game. Vay, who had three goals in the first half, scored a goal late in the opening quarter to make it 5-2.
 
The Golden Flyers had a strong close to the second quarter as well, with Hoare and Sophia Scialdone finding the net to take a 10-4 lead into the break.
 
The Golden Flyers allowed just one goal in the third quarter and a tally from Eleanor Matz off a Sydney Dann assist with under :30 seconds to play made it 15-4.  Earlier in the quarter, freshman Emily Reichard notched her first career goal off an assist from Caroline Riley.
 
Dann and Metzler added goals in the fourth quarter in addition to the Gators scoring twice.
 
Allie Klestinec played the first three quarters, making three saves. Nazareth's all-time lead women's hockey goal scorer, Makenna Wiljanen, saw her first action between the pipes in the fourth quarter as she made two saves.  
 
Nazareth returns to action on Saturday, hosting Utica at 1 p.m.