The Hofstra Pride men’s lacrosse team kicked off its 2023 season with a 10-7 loss against the Merrimack College Warriors. The matchup was played on the road at Duane Stadium in North Andover, Massachusetts.
For nearly the entire game, the Pride were playing from behind, outmatched by the prowess of Merrimack’s offense. Hofstra’s only lead in the game was at the 12:41 mark of the first quarter, where sophomore Griffin Turner found the back of the net on an unassisted goal. The rest of the first quarter was all Merrimack, as the Warriors scored three goals in the final 4:20, taking a 3-1 advantage going into the second period.
Merrimack’s Drew Hailey kicked off the second quarter strong with a goal assisted by Trace Hogan, to lead 4-1. At the 10:46 mark, Jack Rooney’s shot found the back of the night on an unassisted goal. Kasey Mongillo scored his second goal of the day off an assist from Hogan, his second assist of the game, to go ahead 6-1. With six straight unanswered scores by the Warriors, Hofstra desperately looked to swing the momentum in their favor to end the half. Sophomore Gerald Kane nailed a kick with just under three minutes to go, cutting the deficit down to four, 6-2.
The first half was lopsided in terms of shots on goal, with the Pride only putting up seven shots compared to Merrimack’s 13, including a whopping eight in the second quarter only. Turnovers were also a huge issue for Hofstra throughout, committing 15 turnovers compared to a modest six from the Warriors.
The third period was much of the same for Hofstra, as they struggled to piggyback on its half ending goal. Tommy Rooney’s second goal for Merrimack, followed by back-to-back goals by Brian Russell, extending its lead to 9-2.
In the fourth quarter, the Pride attempted to rally from a huge deficit. Despite ultimately coming up short, Hofstra was impressive, scoring five goals to end the game. Two of the goals were scored by redshirt freshman Trevor Natalie, while another two were converted by sophomore John Madsen. Kane nailed the final goal of the day with 2:18 to play. Merrimack also added to its score in the period as well, with another score by Tommy Rooney, as the Warriors pulled away for a three-point victory, 10-7, over the Pride.
Overall, Hofstra finished with 16 shots on goal, five fewer than Merrimack. The Pride also finished with an alarming 26 turnovers, with the Warriors only committing 16.
Three players, Kane, Madsen, and Natalie, each put up two goals for the Pride, with Kane also adding an assist to his stat line. Kane’s two goals were on five shots at goal, while Madsen shot 2-3, and Natalie was perfect with two goals on two shots at goal. Senior goalkeeper Mac Gates posted 11 saves in the defeat.
Hofstra will look to pick up its first win of the season in their home opener on Saturday, Feb. 11, against the United States Navy Academy (NAVY). The game will kick off at 2 p.m. at the James M. Shuart Stadium.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Olivia Piazza
