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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Visiting Utica broke open a tie game with a pair of late second-half goals Saturday as the Pioneers defeated Nazareth, 4-2, in an Empire 8 Conference field hockey match.

Utica improved to 5-2 overall and evened its E8 Conference mark at 1-1. Nazareth lost for the sixth straight time to drop to 1-6, including 0-4 in conference games.

The game was tied 1-1 at halftime as Nazareth got a goal from junior Alexis Root in the sixth minute of play off an assist from senior Kailee O'Hara. The Pioneers countered less than four minutes later on Louis Steele-Norton's ninth goal of the season.

Utica scored again early in the second half as Hannah Mackey scored the seventh time this season with Alaina Stojkovski picking up her second assist of the game. Nazareth answered just 17 seconds later as senior Tessa Knapp netted her first goal of the season to tie the score at 2-2.

Utica, however, had a sizeable 30-4 shooting advantage and got an unassisted goal from Marissa Davendonis in the 44th minute to take the lead for good at 3-2. Colleen Dowling added an insurance goal 11 minutes later with Mackey picking up an assist.

Sophomore Shannon Winney played all 70 minutes in goal for the Golden Flyers and had 15 saves. The Golden Flyers are home again Tuesday to host William Smith at 7 p.m.