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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Second-ranked RIT completed an unbeaten regular-season schedule Saturday as the Tigers posted a 13-5 home-field men's lacrosse victory over Nazareth in Empire 8 Conference action.

The Tigers, ranked second nationally in Division III, clinched the regular-season title and the top seed for next week's Empire 8 Conference Tournament. The Tigers are 8-0 in the E8 and 15-0 overall. Nazareth will be the third seed for next week's tournament with a 10-5 overall record and 6-2 conference mark. Nazareth will play at second-seeded Stevens in the first round of the tournament Friday at 4 p.m.

Saturday's game was fairly even statistically, but the Tigers made the most of their shots and outscored Nazareth 8-2 over the final 30 minutes to pull away from a 5-3 halftime lead.

Freshman Trevar Haefele scored the first goal of the game 1:45 into the first quarter to give Nazareth an early lead, but the Tigers rattled off the next four goals and never trailed thereafter. Senior Scott Castle and sophomore Brian Wright each scored in the second quarter as Nazareth closed to within 5-3 by halftime.

RIT then dominated the second-half scoresheet by scoring the first three goals of the third quarter and then five more in the fourth quarter. Wright and Haefele each scored for Nazareth in the second half.

Iric Bressler and Tyler Russell each scored three goals for RIT while Kelso Davis and Jordan Collins-Hartwig each scored twice. Nazareth's starting attack trio of Nate DeLone, #C.J. Estes and Joe Jacobs-Ferderbar# was held without a point.

RIT had slim advantages in shots (32-31), ground balls (42-41) and face-offs (11-10). Nazareth goalie Tim Doyle had 11 saves while RIT's Rob Tonnessen had 14.

As the top seed for next week's E8 Tournament, RIT will host fourth-seeded Ithaca Friday. The championship game, which carries an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament, is Sunday.