By Anders Jorstad — STAFF WRITER
The Hofstra Pride mens lacrosse team is off to an excellent start to the season.
Hofstra is 4-3 on the year after a recent loss against Providence College.
Despite being on a two-game skid, the schedule featured an impressive 10-5 win over No. 5 North Carolina early on and the Pride was ranked as high as eighth.
The Pride currently sits at 19th nationally in the most recent Inside Lacrosse poll.
A newcomer to the squad, Josh Byrne has led the Pride offense so far this season.
Byrne, a native of New Westminster, BC, Canada, comes to Hofstra via Nassau Community College after being named the NJCAA Attackman of the Year for the 2015 season.
I wanted to go to Hofstra, Byrne said of his recruiting process with the team.
Its right next to Nassau; I knew Coach Tierney well. Me and him had a good relationship. There wasnt really any doubt in my mind that I was going to go to Hofstra.
As a native of a town just barely north of the Washington state border, some may wonder how Byrne even heard about Nassau Community College in the first place.
Its a bit of a story, Byrne said with a laugh. He had clearly been asked before.
I went to a school called ASA in the city, one of my friends from my hometown went there, and he told me it was a good idea to go there because I wasnt originally going to play college lacrosse. He said it
was a good idea so I said, Alright, Ill take him up on it.
Its interesting that Byrne went from being unsure if he wanted to play lacrosse in college to leading one of the nations top programs in goals scored with 16.
Sam Llinares, last years CAA Player of the Year and Byrnes teammate, has a record of 14.
When asked if he knew coming into the season that he was going to be a major part of the offense, Byrne replied, I had no idea. I knew there was a lot of talent here.
Obviously, no matter what team youre on you have to work your way up. It doesnt matter what your ranking or role is, youre always going to start from the bottom.
Byrne made his mark early on in that 10-5 victory over the Tar Heels, scoring the first two Pride goals of the season and finishing with four scores and a pair of assists.
Only three of Hofstras 10 goals werent in one way or another the product of Byrnes play.
Byrne shined once again in the home opener against Princeton, when an overtime score by the attackman lifted Hofstra to an 11-10 win.
I just want to keep this team going, Byrne said of his season goals.
I want us to have a really good season. Thats pretty much the main thing; I want us as a team to work hard every day no matter what the score is, no matter who were playing.
I just want a good mentality and a good effort.
Byrne and the rest of the Pride will face off against Vermont on Tuesday.
The game will start at 7 p.m. at James M. Shuart Stadium as Hofstra attempts to pick up its fifth win of the campaign.