The Hofstra University women’s lacrosse team fell by a score of 14-8 to the Rutgers University Scarlet Knights of the Big Ten Conference on Wednesday, April 3. The Pride saw their four-game winning streak snapped as they fell to 7-5, while the Scarlet Knights ended a five-game skid and improved to 6-6 on their campaign.
The game was much more to Hofstra goaltender Luchianna Cardello than a regular out-of-conference matchup. Cardello matched up against her sister, senior Rutgers goaltender Sophia Cardello. The sisters are among the most elite goalies in college lacrosse, both ranking inside the top 51 goalies in the country in saves per game. Sophia Cardello had a particularly spectacular performance in net for Rutgers, making 10 saves on 14 shots.
The game was delayed by about an hour due to heavy rain at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. When the match began around 8 p.m., Rutgers quickly established complete control of the game, scoring four goals before the Pride even recorded a shot on goal, and putting another two goals past the net before Hofstra got on the board.
By the end of the first half, Rutgers held a 12-2 lead. The Scarlet Knights were truly dominant in the first half, doubling up the Pride on shots and controlling 10 of the 15 draws.
Cassidy Spilis led the way for Rutgers with five goals, four of them coming in the first half. Spilis passed the half century mark on Tuesday, climbing to fourth in the country with 51.
Victoria Goldrick and Lily Dixon each assisted on two Spilis goals. Both midfielders added two more helpers for four assists apiece, bringing their season assist totals to 23 and 18, respectively. Goldrick also put the ball in the net twice for her ninth and 10th goals, and Dixon scored her 12th goal of the season to complete a five-point performance.
The second half was significantly better for Hofstra, as they led the shots on goal battle 14-11, burying six of those shots. Despite the solid second half performance, the Pride never managed to truly get back into the game, only getting within six goals of the Scarlet Knights.
Despite the loss, Melissa Sconone continued her red-hot performance of the past few games for the Pride, now reaching 30 points in her last six games with a two goal and one assist outing against the Scarlet Knights.
Freshman attacker Kristen Redding continued to make an impact in her debut season, putting up two goals to give her 12 on the year.
Luchianna Cardello struggled to keep the ball out of her net in the first half, giving up 12 goals on 13 shots, many of which were point blank. She managed to settle down in the second half, saving nine of the 11 shots that came her way.
The Pride will return to Coastal Athletic Association play after a week off, next Friday, April 12, when they will host the Monmouth University Hawks. Gametime is set for 5 p.m. at the James M. Shuart Stadium.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Vincent Carchietta
