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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Sophomore
Kara Kulba and senior
Shannon Lattimore scored unassisted goals in overtime for Nazareth Sunday as the Golden Flyers defeated visiting Utica, 10-9, in a do-or-die women's lacrosse game that unclouded the Empire 8 Conference playoff picture.
The victory clinched for Nazareth a berth in next weekend's Empire 8 Conference Tournament at Stevens. The Golden Flyers, 9-7 overall and 5-3 in conference play, gained the third seed and will play second-seeded RIT (12-4) Saturday at 2 p.m.. Fourth-seeded St. John Fisher will play unbeaten and top-seeded Stevens in the other semifinal at 12 p.m. The loss dropped Utica to 8-6 overall and 4-4 in conference games and eliminated the Pioneers from the E8 playoff race.
Nazareth appeared to be in control in the first half in building a 5-1 advantage through the first 30 minutes. Utica, however, stormed back to score seven of the first eight goals of the second half to gain an 8-6 advantage.
Nazareth then staged a rally of its own, getting free-position goals from
Alyssia Roberts (with 6:08 to go) and
Michelle Cook (with 1:37 left) to force overtime. Utica had a chance to win the game near the end of regulation, but senior goalie
Maria Fusco saved a point-blank shot from the Pioneers' Tammy Kohanski with :57 left.
Nazareth controlled the draw in overtime and after a shot by
Nora Davis sailed wide, Kulba broke loose to score her eighth goal of the season just 56 seconds into the overtime. Nazareth then built a two-goal advantage, 10-8, on Lattimore's 14th goal of the season with 1:38 left. The goal was set up following a Utica turnover that was caused by Davis.
Utica won the ensuing draw, drew a foul and got a free-position goal by Kelly Regan just 10 seconds later to trim the lead to 10-9. Cook won the following draw and the Golden Flyers were able to kill the clock thereafter.
Cook finished with three goals, including two in the first half as Nazareth was building its lead. Davis also scored twice for Nazareth in the first half, including her team-leading 45th goal at the 20-minute mark. Sophomore
Chelsey Amidon added an unassisted score with 1:13 left to make it 5-1.
Utica then went to work behind the scoring of Kohanski, whose three goals lifted her season total to 52. Regan and Julianne Schultheiss each scored twice for the Pioneers in the second half and Lily Feskes had a goal and two assists.
Lattimore had two assists for Nazareth in addition to two goals and Fusco was credited with nine saves. Nazareth had a 36-25 shooting advantage. Utica goalie Shelby Barbay had 13 saves.