Box l Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Host Nazareth scored four times in a 12:48 span early in the first half to take command of Saturday's Empire 8 women's soccer game against Houghton. Each team scored once in the second half for the 5-1 final score. During the scoring run, junior Briana Vibbard had two goals while senior Elizabeth Howell had one goal and a pair of assists. Sophomore Michaela Soules also tallied a goal in each half.

With the victory, the Golden Flyers improve to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in Empire 8 games. Following the loss, the Highlanders drop to 3-3 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Junior Katie Trainor started Nazareth's first scoring chance 12:26 into the game with a long pass from the right wing near midfield. Trainor's pass was placed perfectly in the middle of Houghton's 18-yard box, and Howell controlled the pass then buried her shot. Less than five minutes later, Howell passed a long ball from midfield down the left wing to Soules. Soules made a move toward the endline around the defender then cut back into the box to put a hard shot into the Highlanders' net. The goal by Howell was her second of the season.

Minutes later, Vibbard scored the first of two goals. Howell assisted on Vibbard's first goal with a pass from inside the box. Vibbard capped the run with an unassisted goal at the 25:14 mark of the first half after she beat Houghton's goalie,  Shawna Sprout, to a loose ball at the top of the Highlanders' box. Vibbard popped the ball over Sprout and it bounced into the goal before the Houghton defender was able to retreat and knock it away. Vibbard's two goals gives her a team-high four goals on the season.

With 50 seconds to play in the first half, Houghton's leading scorer, Stephany Ellison, and Nazareth's goalie, Allison Dobles, collided trying to gain control of the ball near the top of the Golden Flyers' box. Dobles was whistled for the foul, and the ensuing free kick sailed over the Nazareth net. Dobles played the remainder of the half, but junior Mackenzie Dunphy relieved her in the second half. Moments earlier, Ellison had a long shot ring off the cross bar.

Ellison put Houghton on the board 11:38 into the second period after receiving a through ball from Alexis Lamb. Ellison converted the transition scoring opportunity to give her nine goals on the season.

Soules recorded her second goal of the game and third of the season after a give-and-go with freshman Paige Sullivan. The scoring opportunity started near midfield, and both girls put well-placed passes to each other around the Highlanders' defenders. Soules converted Sullivan's final pass, from the right side of the box toward the left post, to reclaim Nazareth's four-goal lead.

Dobles finished the first half with two saves, and Dunphy was credited with one save and allowed Houghton's lone goal in the second half. Sprout tallied eight saves and allowed Nazareth's five goals in 76:07 of action. Emma Arbuckle played the final 13:53 of the first before Sprout replaced her to begin the second half. Arbuckle had two saves.

The Golden Flyers finished with an 18-9 advantage in total shots, and they also had a 3-0 advantage in corner kick chances.

Nazareth plays its next four games on the road before returning to host Hartwick on October 11th. The Golden Flyers' road trip begins with a non-conference contest at RIT on September 24th.