Box Score Box | Final cumulative stats
ITHACA, N.Y. – Second-seeded St. John Fisher scored the first four goals of the game Saturday against third-seeded Nazareth and the Cardinals went on to take an 11-5 women's lacrosse victory over the Golden Flyers in a first-round game of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament at Ithaca's Higgins Stadium.

Fisher improved to 14-4 overall and will play Ithaca for the Empire 8 Conference title Sunday at 1 p.m. The winner gains an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Nazareth's season ends with an 8-8 overall record. The Golden Flyers had a four-game winning streak snapped. Senior Amy McIntosh scored twice for the Golden Flyers and sophomore Carly Gates scored a goal and added two assists. Junior Hannah Prince and senior Megan Tice represented Nazareth on the all-tournament team.

Fisher scored four times before the game was nine miutes old to take control early. Jordan Johnson scored two goals and Taylor Hughes had a goal and an assist in that stretch. McIntosh's 22nd goal of the season interrupted the scoring spree off an assist from Gates, but Fisher scored three more times before the first half ended, including one with :27 left in the half, to go up 7-1. Nazareth had chances in the first half with 12 shots but Fisher goalie Nicole Hart made seven of her 12 saves in the first half to frustrate the Flyers. Nazareth also misfired on four free-position attempts in the first 30 minutes.

Second-half goals by Gates and Suzie Gray enabled Nazareth to close within 8-3, but Fisher used a three-goal scoring spurt to extend their lead to 11-3 with 18:10 to go.

Junior Brooke Sullivan scored her team-leading 34th goal of the season with seven minutes left and McIntosh scored her second goal of the game with :12 left to close out the scoring for Nazareth.

Fisher outshot Nazareth 28-22 and had a 21-14 edge in ground balls. Tara Prosak finished with five saves in goal for Nazareth.