Utica, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly men's lacrosse team battled through a tough Conference test on Wednesday afternoon, falling to Nazareth by a 26–5 final. With the loss the Wildcats drop to 5-4 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Nazareth came out fast and controlled the early tempo, capitalizing on faceoff wins and extended possessions to build momentum in the opening quarter. The Golden Flyers broke through at the 13:54 mark and quickly added to their lead with a flurry of goals in transition and in settled offense.
SUNY Poly worked to withstand the early pressure, with Tyler Baisley making several strong saves in the first quarter to keep the Wildcats battling defensively. The Wildcats also earned an early extra-man opportunity midway through the frame, but were unable to convert as Nazareth continued to dictate possession.
The Golden Flyers kept their foot on the gas throughout the opening 15 minutes, stringing together a late scoring run to carry a 10–0 lead into the second quarter.
SUNY Poly made a change in goal to start the second, with Mac Fitzgerald stepping in and providing a steady presence in net. While Nazareth continued to find the back of the cage early in the quarter, the Wildcats kept working to create better looks offensively and eventually broke through at the 10:50 mark when Luke Taylor got SUNY Poly on the board.
That goal gave the Wildcats a spark, but Nazareth answered quickly and continued to capitalize on possession opportunities and efficient offensive execution. Even so, SUNY Poly continued to compete through the half, with Fitzgerald making multiple saves and the defense working to limit second-chance opportunities where possible.
Nazareth entered halftime with an 18–1 lead, but the Wildcats came out with improved energy and composure in the third quarter.
SUNY Poly found more rhythm offensively after the break and turned in one of its better stretches of the afternoon. Cooper Fitzgerald got on the scoresheet at 11:56 of the third quarter, finishing off a feed from Kai Hew to give the Wildcats their second goal of the game. The Wildcats also generated additional chances in the offensive zone and showed more stability in possession as the half progressed.
Later in the quarter, Mitchell Taylor added another SUNY Poly goal, continuing the Wildcats' push and helping the team build on a stronger second-half showing. Although Nazareth remained efficient on the offensive end and answered nearly every SUNY Poly surge, the Wildcats continued to play hard and create opportunities.
SUNY Poly stayed active in the fourth quarter and was rewarded with two more goals down the stretch. Casey Ryan found the back of the net at the 9:36 mark off an assist from Mitchell Taylor, and Tanner Defren added the Wildcats' fifth goal with 5:32 remaining.
Nazareth closed the game with one final run to secure the 26-5 win.
