Box l Updated stats
UTICA, N.Y. -- Visiting Nazareth outscored Utica 6-0 in the third quarter en route to a 15-6 victory in an Empire 8 Conference men's lacrosse game Wednesday afternoon. Sophomore #C.J. Estes# scored a game-high five goals for the Golden Flyers, which gives him 27 goals thus far in the season.

With the victory, 11th-ranked Nazareth improves to 8-2 overall. The Golden Flyers remain undefeated in Empire 8 games with a 3-0 record. The Pioneers fall to 1-7 overall and 0-2 in conference games.

Junior Joe Jacobs-Ferderbar and senior Mark DeCirce each tallied seven points. Jacobs-Ferderbar had four goals and three assists and DeCrice had one goal and a career-beast six assists. Jjunior Scott Castle had two goals and one assist. Sophomore John McDonnell and junior Joe Valasiadis finished with two goals and one goal and one assist, respectively. Junior Kyle McLean also set up a goal and was credited with an assist.

The first half featured balanced scoring as the teams traded goals. Utica scored the first goal of the game 2:43 into the first quarter, but it took Nazareth less than three minutes to score the equalizer as Jacobs-Ferderbar scored his first goal of the game after receiving a pass from DeCirce. The Pioneers reclaimed the lead with 5:28 to play in the quarter, but it would be Utica's last lead of the game. Estes answered with back-to-back goals, separated by just 10 seconds, to provide Nazareth with its first lead of the game.

All of the scoring in the second quarter took place in the first five minutes. Utica's Corey Boulio opened the second quarter with a goal one minute into the period, however, McLean won the ensuing faceoff and found Jacobs-Ferderbar to put the Golden Flyers ahead 4-3. After Reed Reynolds scored to temporarily tie the game for Utica, Estes answered with an unassisted goal to put Nazareth ahead for good with 10:12 to play in the quarter. The Pioneers' goalie, Travis Wright, made 10 saves in the first half to slow Nazareth's scoring.

The Golden Flyers', however, took control of the game with a dominating third quarter in which Nazareth scored six unanswered goal to take a 11-4 lead going into the fourth quarter. Wright kept the Pioneers from a larger deficit with seven saves in the quarter. Castle ignited the Golden Flyers with his first goal of the game, followed by a goal from Jacobs-Ferderbar, DeCirce, and two consecutive goals from Estes. Jacobs-Ferderbar tallied the final goal of the quarter to increase the Golden Flyers' lead to seven goals. DeCirce set up three of Nazareth's six goals during the third quarter scoring run.

Valasiadis opened the fourth quarter with a goal for the Golden Flyers' eighth straight goal spanning back to the second quarter. Michael Bulger ended the string of Nazareth's goals to cut the Golden Flyers' lead to 12-5. DeCirce set up a Nazareth goal for the sixth time by finding Castle for his second goal of the game to increase the Golden Flyers' advantage to 13-5. McDonnell closed out the Nazareth's scoring with two goals midway through the quarter to extend the Golden Flyers lead to 15-5. John Giordano cut the final deficit to 10 goals with an unassisted score in the closing minutes for Utica.

Nazareth held an advantage in each of the major statistical categories including: shots (57-23), ground balls (28-17), and faceoffs (18-7). McLean won 16 of 22 faceoffs and collected a game-high 10 ground balls. The Golden Flyers also converted 20 of 22 clear attempts and forced the Pioneers into nine failed clears.

Senior Todd Dermody earned the victory and made seven saves in goal for Nazareth. Wright finished with 20 saves for Utica.

The Golden Flyers return to Nazareth for an Empire 8 conference game against Hartwick Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.