ROCHESTER, NY – The Nazareth Golden Flyers took control of the game early on Saturday afternoon, tallying the first seven goals to grab control in what would be a 16-7 win over Hartwick's women's lacrosse team. The loss is the Hawks' first in Empire 8 play as they drop to 5-5 overall and 2-1 in conference. Nazareth moves back above .500 at 6-5 and is 3-1 in the Empire 8.
Emma Robinson scored first 1:24 into the contest, and was quickly followed 21 seconds later by a strike from Addilys Gietner (assisted by Lauren Caldwell). Geitner was on the helping end of the next Golden Flyer goal, assisting Robinson to give Nazareth a 3-0 lead at 26:52. Callahan Lyon had the ensuing tally for the home team, using an Emma Robinson pass to make the lead 4-0 under five minutes in. Robinson tallied a hat trick at the 23:06 mark, taking an Emma Parry pass into the net. Emily Allen (via Lily Aldrich) and Lyon rounded out the 7-0 Nazareth run to start out the game, scoring 24 seconds apart at 20:56 and 20:32. Jennifer Darasz (Gorham, ME/Gorham) got Hartwick on the board next, scoring off of a pass from Hailey Pooler (Adams Center, NY/South Jefferson) at 19:33 for her 14th goal of the season. The assist was Pooler's 100th of her career, a mark that no other Hartwick women's lacrosse player has reached in program history. The rest of the half saw just one more goal, a tally by Nazareth's Kellie Byrne, assisted by Jordan Knapp at 2:35 to put the Golden Flyers up 8-1 after 30 minutes.
Geitner and Knapp connected to start the second half scoring, with the latter tallying at 25:29, but 'Wick scored the next three goals to cut the Nazareth lead to 9-4. Rachel Hedden (Burlington, CT/Central Conn. State) scored twice at 24:05 and 21:26, sandwiching a GinaMarie Wilson (East Meadow, NY/East Meadow) goal in the middle at 23:03. The Golden Flyers put any doubt about the outcome to rest after that, scoring five unanswered in a 5:36 span from 20:39 to 15:03, taking a 14-4 lead. Aldrich did a lot of damage throughout that run, scoring once and assisting on three other tallies. The Hawks outscored Nazareth 3-2 over the final 15 minutes, via goals from Emily Schaub (Brewster, NY/Brewster), Emma Knapp (Canandaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman), and Cassie Durkin (Fayetteville, NY/Jamesville Dewitt), assisted by Amy Tracy (Smithtown, NY/Florida Southern College).
Hedden had the team lead in points with her two goals on two shots, also tying for the game high of two caused turnovers and scooping three ground balls. Wilson had a strong afternoon, tallying once on a team-high six shots, controlling four draws and registering a caused turnover and a ground ball. Knapp had a goal on three shots and a game-high six draw controls, while Darasz scored her goal on five shots, had three ground balls, two draw controls, and a caused turnover. Katie Weaver (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) led all comers with five ground balls. Ashley Jablonowski (Levittown, NY/Island Trees) did the bulk of the goalkeeping for Hartwick, making 11 saves and allowing 14 goals over 48:31 of play and scooping three ground balls. Jennifer Paszko (Queensbury, NY/Queesnsbury) finished out the game in net.
Nazareth had the clear possession edge, taking 34 shots to 'Wick's 22, with a 27 to 17 advantage in shots on goal. The Golden Flyers also had the advantage in turnovers, with 14 to the Hawks' 23, and clear rate, converting 22 of 26 clear attempts compared to Hartwick's 16 of 23. The ground ball fight was almost dead-even at 20 for Nazareth and 19 for Hartwick. The Hawks fared much better than they had in previous games on draws, controlling 13 of 24 overall.
Aldrich had a game-high five points, scoring once on two shots, assisting on four ground balls, and registering three ground balls and two draw controls. Geitner had four points on one goal and three assists, as well as two ground balls and a tie for the game high of two caused turnovers. Robinson also had four points via her hat trick on a game-high eight shots and an assist and a tie for the game high of three draw controls.
The Hawks are on the road again next Wednesday, April 10, playing Sage in another Empire 8 battle. Opening draw is at 4 p.m.
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