Springfield, Mass. – February 17, 2024 – The Springfield College men's lacrosse team was upended by Nazareth, 10-9, in both teams season opener on Saturday afternoon on Stagg Field.

Mason Nocito (Mahopac, N.Y.) produced five points on four goals and an assist while classmate Kevin Tierney (Glastonbury, Conn.) added a goal and two assists.  Kaden Quirk (Nahant, Mass.) made 12 saves in net and Gavin Carzello (Westfield, Mass.) scooped up nine ground balls to go along with three caused turnovers for Springfield.

Springfield opened up the scoring 5:51 left in the opening quarter as Nocito shook his defender from the top of the restraining box and ripped an unassisted marker. After the Golden Flyers responded with a man-up goal with under a minute to play, Jake Degnan (Mahopac, N.Y.) answered back with a man-up marker of his own as he stung a shot just under the crossbar on a great look from Tierney.  22 seconds laster, Nocito connected from 15 yards out, finding the bottom corner to give Springfield a 3-1 edge after they outshot the visitors by a 13-3 margin.

Tierney scored a man-up strike of his own just 46 seconds into the second quarter to push the hosts lead to 4-1 when he was able to beat the goalie nearside, only to have the Golden Flyers make it a one-goal contest with 9:15 left in the half two a pair of goals. The Pride would regain a two-goal edge when Nocito connected for consecutive unassisted goals less than a minute apart, the later coming with 7:24 left to play. However, Nazareth would account for the final two goals of the half as the teams heading into intermission with just one goal separating them.

The difference in the game proved to be the third quarter as the Golden Flyers scored four goals in under two minutes to seize momentum as they opened up a 9-6 lead.  Springfield would score for the first time over 21 minutes when Zach Barden (Swampscott, Mass.) bullied his way towards the cage for an unassisted goal with 19 seconds on the clock.

Brady Soldo (Shrewsbury, Mass.) would get free from behind the cage to make it a one-goal game just over 90 seconds into the fourth, but Springfield would turn the ball over seven times in the frame and be whistled for a three-minute illegal body check which resulted in a man-up goal with 3:03 left in regulation.  Springfield would answer with an extra-man goal under two minutes later was Tierney connected with Nick Savastano (South Salem, N.Y).  Vincent Scialdone (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) won the ensuring face-off and the Pride called timeout, but the Golden Flyers were able to force a turnover and hold on for the win.

Springfield returns to action on Saturday when it travels to New Jersey to take on Stevens.

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