Box Score ITHACA, N.Y. – The 12th-ranked Ithaca College men's lacrosse team (10-3, 4-0 Empire 8) served visiting Nazareth (6-7, 4-1 Empire 8) its first conference loss of the season Saturday at Higgins Stadium. With the 10-8 victory, the Bombers claimed the top spot in the league standings.
 
Ithaca netted the game's first goal, but Nazareth answered scoring three straight for a 3-1 gap with 3:49 remaining in the first. The Bombers tallied two more for a 3-3 deadlock at the end of the opening period. The teams went goal-for-goal in the second for a 5-5 stalemate at half. Ithaca's Jake Long scored the game-winner just 45 seconds into the third on a Pat Slawta feed. The Bombers used a 5-2 run for a 10-7 lead at the 11-minute mark of the fourth. Nazareth finalized all scoring with a goal at 6:00. The Golden Flyers outshot Ithaca, 7-1, in the final four minutes of play, but sophomore goalkeeper Scott Sidnam stopped both shots on goal to preserve the two-goal victory.
 
Long posted a hat trick to lead all scoring, while Slawta chipped in two goals and a trio of assists for a game-best five-point performance. Senior Brandon Henne won 9-of-18 faceoffs and gathered a career- and game-high nine ground balls. Slawta and junior Jimmy Ryan added five ground balls each. Ryan, classmate John Figarelli and sophomore Eli Gobrecht forced two turnovers each.
 
Ryan, seniors Joe Perkins and Andrew Kristy and freshmen John Januszkiewicz and Justin Bird accounted for the Bombers other five scores. Henne, junior James Manilla and senior Casey Schattner each dished out assists.
 
Sidnam made nine saves between the pipes to improve to 10-3 on the season. Nazareth's eight-goal offensive performance was its second-lowest showing of the season.
 
The Bombers held a 34-31 edge in ground balls, but trailed shots 37-36 and faceoffs 13-9. Ithaca was 0-for-4 on the day in extra-man opportunities, while Nazareth converted 1-of-2. The Golden Flyers had 16 turnovers to Ithaca's 10.
 
In their last meeting, Nazareth defeated Ithaca 12-10 in the 2013 Empire 8 title game.
 
Ithaca returns to action on Saturday, April 19 with a 3 p.m. contest at Hartwick.