PITTSFORD, NY – The University of Rochester lacrosse team posted a commanding win over Nazareth University on Thursday afternoon, winning 17-4 in the 2026 season-opener at Nazareth's NLPA Field.
 
Seven different players scored a goal for the Yellowjackets (1-0) who raced out to an 11-1 lead in the first half over the Golden Flyers (0-1). URochester ended up winning the first three quarters by at least three goals, before ending the game with a 2-2 tie in the fourth.
 
UR's win avenges a 11-10 overtime loss to the Golden Flyers last season, and puts the Yellowjackets back on track in the all-time series, winning seven of the last eight meetings.
 
Sophomore Allison Weiden led the victors with five total points in the game, coming on two goals and three assists. Senior Alyssa Gorny and first-year Rose Bunting were the leading goal-scorer's each tallying four in the win.
 
Junior Anna Rogers had three assists, while senior Tessa Little (1 goal, 2 assists) and sophomore Jenna Kessler (2 goals, 1 assist) each finished with three points as well. Sophomore goalkeeper Isla Ablin made two saves and faced just nine total shots in the victory.
 
Gorny got the scoring started for URochester three and a half minutes in with an unassisted tally.
 
After Grace Gardner leveled the score at 1-1 two minutes later, the Yellowjackets went on a huge run to end the first period, scoring six straight goals over a six minute span to surge in front 7-1.
 
Bunting got her first of the game before Weiden found the back of the net on a power play to make it 3-1.
 
On URochester's next goal, Weiden forced a Nazareth turnover and started a fast break that ended with Rogers finding Kessler for the score.
 
First-year Sam Kinch got in on the action next, making it 5-1 with five minutes left in the quarter before Gorny added another to increase the lead. Bunting then made it 7-1 with a free position tally with 3:34 left in the first.
 
The run continued into the second, with the Yellowjackets scoring four more times, while holding Nazareth to just two shots and no goals over that span.
 
Kessler had a woman-up score, Gorny reached a hat trick in the first, with Little and Kinch also scoring in the quarter to reach running clock before the halftime intermission.
 
All-in-all, it ended up being 12 straight goals for the Yellowjackets as URochester's Bunting and Weiden scored in the opening five minutes of the second half to move the score to 13-1.
 
Nazareth's Gwen Newtown stopped the 'Jacket scoring run with a score midway through the third, but back-to-back goals from Gorny and Weiden made it 15-2 after three periods.
 
The score reached 17-2 with Bunting scoring her fourth and Ella Lassen completing the UR goals, before Nazareth finished things off with a pair of late goals to reach the final score.
 
Statistically, the Yellowjackets led 40-9 in total shots, and 33-6 in shots on goal. URochester was nearly perfect on clears, going 15-for-16, while corralling 18 draw controls and 16 ground balls.
 
Lassen and Gorny ended as the leading draw takers with five controls each. Weiden had a team-high three caused turnovers, while Gorny, Bunting and Jenna Ufberg each had two. Bunting added four ground balls, while Weiden and Gorny finished with three apiece.
 
The Yellowjackets get Friday off before taking on preseason #11 St. John Fisher on Saturday in the home opener at Fauver Stadium at 1 pm.