ROCHESTER, NY (nazathletics.com) - Nazareth Women's Basketball (22-4) defeated Alfred (11-15), 75-50, in the Empire 8 Quarterfinals Friday afternoon inside Kidera Gymnasium. The win marks the team's 14th consecutive victory, a new program record, and gives the Golden Flyers their sixth-straight E8 semifinal appearance.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Nazareth set the tone immediately, opening on a decisive first-quarter run and holding Alfred to seven points while building a 19-7 lead after one.
- The Golden Flyers broke it open in the second quarter with a 9-0 run midway through the period, pushing the margin past 20 and taking a 43-19 lead into halftime after a late paint finish by Molly Benetti and a buzzer-beating layup from Morgan Caraballo off a Leah Fusilli assist.
- Nazareth continued to stretch the advantage in the third, outscoring Alfred 20-11 and building the lead to as many as 33, maintaining control with steady half-court execution and limiting second chances to carry a 63-30 cushion into the fourth.
- In the fourth, Caraballo converted off a turnover to make it 65-32, and the Golden Flyers answered every push with clutch buckets down the stretch. A second-chance 3-pointer from Morgan Tyler and a late triple by Brayden Schultz secured the 75-50 win for Nazareth.
GAME NOTES
- Kiara Anglin led the Golden Flyers with 16 points, shooting a near season-best 7 of 9 from the floor. She added six rebounds, two steals and one assist.
- Sarina McDowell contributed 12 points, her 11th double-digit performance of the season. The junior forward chipped in five rebounds, two steals and one block.
- Katie MacLachlan and Molly Benetti rounded out Nazareth's double-digit scorers with 11 and 10 points, respectively. MacLachlan also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds with four assists and two steals.
UP NEXT
Nazareth hosts No.4 SUNY Geneseo in the Empire 8 Semifinals, Wednesday, Feb. 25. Tip off is slated for 5:30 p.m. inside Kidera Gymnasium.
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