By Nick Mazzarella – STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team hung tight all game long, but ultimately fell to No. 14 Ohio State on the road, 12-11.

Ohio State (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten) saw hat tricks from Katie Chase and Mary Kate Facchina, while Jackie Cifarelli had five assists.  Hofstra (5-4) was led by senior attacker Brittain Altomare (two goals, five assists) and senior defender April Iannetta (four goals).

Ohio State and Hofstra exchanged goals twice in the opening 10 minutes. Junior defender Lindsey Alfano put the Pride on the board, and sophomore attacker Tiana Parrella’s free-position goal knotted the game at two.

The Buckeyes scored back-to-back goals from Molly Wood and Chase before Altomare netted one of her own, cutting Hofstra’s deficit to one, 4-3, about midway through the first half. The senior attacker’s seven-point performance raised her season total to 50.

Thanks to another Altomare score and senior attacker Sam Lenox’s ninth goal of the season, the Pride tied the game at five. Hofstra went on to take a 6-5 lead over the nationally-ranked Buckeyes after freshman Amanda Seekamp’s goal, which capped a 3-0 run. It was the first-year midfielder’s 10th of the season.

Chase answered for the Buckeyes, putting home the last goal of the half with 8:36 left. At halftime, Hofstra and Ohio State were tied, 6-6.

Two goals off the stick of Iannetta – both assisted by Altomare – had the Pride in front, 8-6, with 24:02 remaining. Ohio State cut Hofstra’s lead to one, but an Altomare-to-Lenox score stretched the lead back to two.

With about 18 minutes left, the nation’s 14th-ranked team began flexing its muscles. A 4-0 run by the Buckeyes, as well as strong defense kept the Pride scoreless for 12 minutes and 16 seconds. They turned a 9-7 Hofstra advantage into an 11-9 Ohio State lead. Four different players scored during the spurt: Facchina, Jennifer Porretto, Chase and Wood.

Iannetta completed the hat trick with 6:39 to go, putting the Pride within one. Ohio State re-extended its lead to two, 12-10, with just under three minutes left.

Another Iannetta score made it a one-goal game with 1:49 on the clock. But that was the last time Hofstra found the back of the cage and the Pride came up just short of pulling off the upset in Columbus.

For the Pride, Lenox also posted a pair.

Ohio State edged Hofstra in shots, 19-18, and picked up eight more ground balls (13-5). Hofstra controlled 13 draws, and the Buckeyes won the other 12.

Hofstra is next in action this Friday at 7:00 p.m. when it hosts James Madison in both teams’ CAA opener.