By: Liam Hoffmann
The Nazareth Golden Flyers got their second win of the year when they beat Brockport Saturday afternoon 16-13. Brockport has now lost three in a row.
Cassidy Burnash scored seven points (4+3), a team high. Tristan Davis scored three goals and took 11 total shots, eight of which were on goal. Alayna Foos and Julia Quinlan each added two goals for the Golden Eagles. Goalie Arianna Reed made nine saves but allowed 16 goals.
Both teams endured heavy rain and wind in the early season matchup. Foos scored the game's first goal unassisted less than a minute in. From there though, Nazareth ran the first quarter. Kate Metzler put Naz on the board a few minutes later with a goal assisted by Sophia Scialdone. The pair did the same again later in the first quarter.
"Naz played a good game all around and had good off-ball movement," Golden Eagle midfielder Journey Naab said.
Cassidy Burnash tried to lead Brockport's offense from the X position in quarter one. As a whole, passing was off from the group and Brockport’s possessions didn't frequently end with quality shots. Nazareth played effective man defense that seldom allowed Brockport 1-on-1 wins. Allie Klestinec in the cage for Nazareth also played well.
Julia Dietz, Maggie Vay and Makenna Misiurewicz were the other goal scorers for Nazareth. At the end of quarter one, Brockport trailed 5-1.
"Constant ball movement," Brockport head coach Bryanna Glasser said. "They did a really nice job driving really hard at the cage and we were just slow to get those first and second slides."
Reed struggled in quarter one but settled things down and took some control of the game in the second. She made a quality save on one of Nazareth's first shots of the quarter. Davis ended the Nazareth run with a free-position goal; a low-skipping shot off the ground. Nazareth responded, with Scialdone finding Metzler for the third time, scoring Naz’s sixth goal.
With two and a half minutes played in the second, each team had taken eleven shots. Still, Brockport trailed by four. With the offense struggling, Naab focused on having strong team defense.
"I'm huge on having a short memory and turning the page," Naab said. "Offense sells tickets but defense wins championships."
Following a Nazareth score, Foos scored her second goal when she dodged right side and tucked the ball top-right. Scialdone scored a goal of her own three minutes later. To close out the second, Davis completed a first-half hat trick in the final six minutes off a helper from Foos and a second free-position goal. Entering the second half Brockport trailed 8-5. Glasser was happy with the team’s improvement after the first quarter.
"We moved the ball better," Glasser said. "We did a really good job waiting and making sure we were all in alignment with one another."
Burnash had a third-quarter hat trick. Her first was unassisted, only 48 seconds in. 30 seconds later, Sarah Kilburn scored her fifth free position goal of the season in just three games played. With their lead cut to one, Nazareth called timeout with 13:41 left.
The talk worked for the Golden Flyers. Vay and Metzler scored two goals apiece in the ensuing seven minutes and increased Naz's lead to 12-7. Burnash then completed her hatter with two goals and fed Julia Quinlan who converted a one-timer from just outside the crease. Brockport rolled into the final 15 minutes of play down 12-10.
Burnash found Quinlan again to put her team within striking distance. Scialdone began an ultimate fourth quarter hat trick a minute later. Burnash had her last assist of the day on Hailey Lewkovich's goal that made the score 13-12. From there, clutch play from Klestinec in goal kept the Golden Eagles’ offense at bay and three Nazareth goals on the other end put the game away. The Golden Eagles didn't score again until Burnash scored her fourth goal with a minute and a half left. Brockport fell 16-13.
"I think this game lit a fire under us and now we are ready for whatever St. Lawrence throws at us," Naab said.
Brockport is at home again on Tuesday when the St. Lawrence Saints come to town. First draw is set for 4 p.m.