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CUMULATIVE STATSROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Sophomore attackman Mark DeCirce scored the game-winning goal for Nazareth with 5:34 remaining in the fourth quarter to lift the Golden Flyers to a 7-6 men's lacrosse victory over visiting St. John Fisher in a pivotal Empire 8 Conference game Wednesday at Golden Flyer Stadium.
With the victory, 16th-ranked Nazareth improved to 6-4 overall and 3-2 in the Empire 8. Fisher dropped to 8-3 overall and 3-3 in E8 games. The Golden Flyers moved into fourth place in the conference standings, and the Cardinals fell to fifth as the teams position themselves for the Empire 8 Tournament at the end of April. It was Nazareth's sixth win over Fisher in as many games.
The game-winning goal was the first of the season for DeCirce, who also added an assist and was playing in just his third game this season after missing time with a leg injury. He finished a play that started with a pass from freshman Joe Jacobs-Ferderbar and the Golden Flyers were able to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard for the balance of the game.
The game, particularly the first half, was played at a methodical pace that resulted in a scoreless first quarter and culminated in a 2-1 halftime lead for the Golden Flyers. Jacobs-Ferderbar put Nazareth on the board after receiving a pass from senior Aaron Civalier with 7:25 to play in the second. Fisher tied the score about two minutes later when Mike Cortina scored the first of his three goals.
The Golden Flyers, however, reclaimed the lead before halftime as senior Matt Aloi sent a pass to freshman Corey Remoli, who buried the ball passed the Cardinals' goalie. Nazareth had a chance to extend its lead in the closing minute of the first half, but Fisher's stingy defense did not allow the Golden Flyers a decent scoring opportunity.
Fisher, thanks to dominant face-off play from Dave Wood, who captured 13 of 17 draws and scopped up eight ground balls, controlled the early third-quarter possession time and scored three straight goals to go up 4-2. Cortina, Jeff Price and Matt Kaiser each scored within a three-minute stretch for the only two-goal advantage that either team would have.
With the pace picking up, Nazareth senior Mark Kanellis cut the Golden Flyers' deficit to one goal, 4-3, midway through the third quarter. Jacobs-Ferderbar tied the game for Nazareth after scoring an unassisted goal with 6:34 left in the quarter. Cortina's third goal of the game put Fisher ahead about 45 seconds later, but Nazareth sophomore defender Kyle Brown tied the game with 5:01 to play after intercepting a pass, racing down the field and scoring uanssisted for his first career goal.
The Cardinals took the lead again on a goal by Dave Malone with 1:45 remaining in the quarter, but Civalier tied the game again 28 seconds later to set up a dramatic fourth quarter.
After DeCirce's go-ahead goal, Fisher had several opportunities, but Nazareth goalie Todd Dermody made three key saves in the final five minutes to preserve the one-goal lead. Fisher turned the ball over with just under two minutes to play when Nazareth defender Nick Lucarelli intercepted a pass and the Golden Flyers were able to keep possession for the rest of the game.
Fisher had advantages in shots (33-31) and ground balls (37-24), but Dermody equaled a season-high with 13 saves. Fisher's Jon Cortina had five saves.
Nazareth travels to Hoboken, N.J. Stevens for another key conference game Saturday at 1:30. The game is available via webcast at
http://www.empire8.tv/