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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Host Nazareth used an 8-1 second-quarter scoring spree Wednesday to break open a close game as the Golden Flyers went on to gain a 20-10 men's lacrosse victory over Alfred in Empire 8 Conference action.

The win was the fourth straight for the 11th-ranked Golden Flyers, who improved to 8-2 overall and 3-0 in conference play. Alfred dropped to 7-3 overall and 1-2 in the Empire 8. Nazareth is now 24-4 all-time against the Saxons and have won the last 20 meetings. The Golden Flyers are now on a collision course with 16th-ranked Ithaca (9-1 overall) as Nazareth travels there Saturday in a battle for first place in the E8 standings.

Nazareth never trailed in Wednesday's game. The Golden Flyers scored the first four goals and settled for a 6-3 lead after 15 minutes. Nazareth then scored twice within the first three minutes of the second quarter and scored eight times overall to build a commanding 14-4 lead at the halftime break.

Senior attackmen Troy Haefele and Luke Wooters shined offensively again. Haefele scored twice and added three assists and Wooters delivered three goals and one assist. Sophomore Paul Walter also scored three times, while senior Matt O'Neill, juniors Nick Arnold and Luke Longo and sophomore Jacob Gray scored twice each. Another second-half highlight was the first career goal for freshman Benjamin Annal. Junior Joe Eiskant had one goal and two assists and sophomore Connor Chapman and senior Nick Loscalzo also scored.

Nazareth's first three goals came just 80 seconds apart in the first quarter with Arnold, Loscalzo and Walter delivering. Wooters then scored with 4:17 left in the quarter to extend the lead to 4-0. Alfred's first two goals came in a nine-second stretch, but Nazareth answered with goals by Arnold and Eiskant to go up 6-2. The Saxons' Nolan Jessup, however, scored his second goal of the quarter with just :07 left to make it 6-3.

Nazareth then dominated the second quarter with a 15-8 edge in shots and by winning six of the 10 face-offs. Walter and Gray opened the second-quarter scoring. Alfred's Joe Fornataro interrupted the string before Nazareth reeled off the next nine goals to go up 17-4 and squelch any Alfred comeback aspirations.

Haefele, Wooters and Gray each scored twice in the second quarter with additional goals from Longo and Walter. Nazareth then scored the first three goals of the third quarter in the span of 1:35. First O'Neill scored off a pass from Eiskant and Longo scored unassisted just 17 seconds after that. Walter then produced his 20th goal of the season off a pass from Gray. Annal and Chapman scored in the fourth quarter.

Nick Skibitsky scored three goals for Alfred and Jake Lynch and Jessop each scored twice. Nazareth used three goalies with junior starter Michael Cuciti playing into the third quarter and making six saves. Senior Scott Brown came on to make seven saves in slightly more than a quarter of action and sophomore Rick Kronenwett closed it out with two saves.