Box Score Box
Rochester, N.Y. -- Second-ranked Nazareth started the 2014 campaign with a dominating performance against visiting D'Youville. The Golden Flyers are now 1-0 after defeating D'Youville in 3 straight sets: 25-12, 25-18, 25-18. With the loss, the Spartans fall to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in UVC action.

Nazareth didn't allow the frigid temperatures outside to stop them from heating up a fan-filled Kidera gymnasium. The Golden Flyers displayed a team full of many new faces to add to their returning firepower to include 2013 All-Americans, Luke Lawatsch and Tim Zyburt. The Golden Flyers are looking for another winning season to win their conference title for the third year in a row.

In Wednesday's match, sophomore setter Cody Nelson led Nazareth College with 24 assists to generate Nazareth's attack. Zyburt tallied a match-high 11 kills while Lawatsch and sophomore Chris Mahan each had eight kills. Sophomores Grant Levermore and Josh Hieb added seven kills and three kills, respectively.

Nazareth had team hitting percentages of .333 , .231, and .462 while holding D'Youville to -.067, .029, and .048. The Golden Flyers' defense allowed only 17 kills and forced 16 hitting errors. Lawatsch finished with two solo blocks and three assisted blocks while sophomore John McCarty amassed a match-high 14 digs.

Brett Cawthorn had eight kills to lead the Spartans. Collin McMahon recorded a team-high 11 assists while Steve Goedtel finished with six digs.

Nazareth is in action again at the Kidera Gymnasium for the Golden Flyer Invitational. Nazareth will host Thiel at 1:30 on Saturday before playing third-ranked Juniata at 6:30. On Sunday, Nazareth takes on fifth-ranked UC Santa Cruz at 3:30.