The Hofstra University women’s lacrosse team remained in stellar form in their fourth straight win in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play, taking down the Towson University Tigers 15-8 on Saturday, March 30, at Johnny Unitas Stadium.
Melissa Sconone and Kerry Walser spurred the Pride offense with four goals each while Nikki Mennella tied her season-high with five points, scoring her fourth hat trick of the season to go along with a pair of assists after missing the last four matches for Hofstra. Taylor Mennella also contributed four points on two goals and two assists in the win.
The Tigers jumped out to the early 1-0 lead in just under five minutes thanks to Lindsay Clarke’s fifth goal of the season, but Walser and Nikki Mennella responded just minutes apart to gain a 2-1 advantage. After Towson knotted up the score with a Lindsey Marshall goal, Nikki Mennella found the net a second time, giving Hofstra a lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the game.
Marshall was the main highlight for Towson, scoring a game-high five goals in the loss. Clarke along with Milana Zizakovic and Halley Koras each added a goal of their own.
The Pride owned the second quarter, scoring the first five goals of the stanza. Sconone kicked off the run with her first goal of the afternoon less than a minute into the quarter followed by four different members of the Pride scored to extend Hofstra’s lead to 8-2 with over nine minutes remaining in the half.
Walser reached a special milestone in the second quarter. Not only did she complete her hat trick with her third goal of the day, but the senior also became the 21st member of the Pride to reach 100 career points.
Goalie Luchianna Cardello had four of her nine saves in just the second quarter, giving the Tigers little to work with as the Pride maintained control the whole way through. The sophomore goalkeeper also reached the 200-career-save mark during the game, continually providing evidence as to why she’s the Pride’s go-to goalie.
Towson tried to find their way back into the game with a pair of goals in the quarter but still found themselves trailing 9-4 going into the break.
Marshall completed her hat trick less than a minute into the second half as the rest of the Tigers were unable to crack any holes in the Pride’s defense, going scoreless for the rest of the third quarter.
The Pride continued to pull away, going on a 4-0 run capped off by Sconone’s fourth goal five minutes into the fourth quarter before Lauren Coletti put on the finishing touches with her 10th goal of the season a few minutes later.
Hofstra left zero questions moving forward, improving to 7-4 and 4-0 in CAA play as they now look to go on the road and battle Big 10 member Rutgers University in a non-conference matchup. Towson slips to 5-6 overall and 2-2 in CAA play.
The Pride and the Scarlet Knights will meet on Wednesday, April 3, from SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey, with the first draw scheduled for 6 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Lee S. Weissman
