The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team began its 2021 campaign with a 10-9 win over St. Joseph’s University on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at Sweeney Field in Philadelphia, PA. Alyssa Parrella and Grace Langella recorded a hat trick apiece while Jess Smith made five saves in goal.
Langella’s third and game-winning tally came with 8:31 to play in the second half and the Pride (1-0) defense kept the Hawks (0-1) from getting a shot on Smith the rest of the way. St. Joseph’s put 14 shots on goal throughout the game compared to Hofstra’s 21.
Katie Whelan opened the scoring for the Pride less than three minutes in, but Sophia Kolkka’s first of two goals of the day tied things up 1-1. Hofstra scored the next four goals with four different scorers to open up a 5-1 lead before the midway point of the first half. Saint Joseph’s battled back, scoring four of the final five goals of the first half to make the score 6-5 Hofstra heading into the break.
Sam McGee tied the game up 21 seconds into the second half. Langella’s second point of the game gave Hofstra back the lead, but Penny Green knotted the score back up 15 seconds later. McGee’s second of the half gave St. Joseph’s its first lead of the game but Parrella scored the next two to complete the hat trick and put the Pride back in front. Kolkka tied the score 9-9 with just under 12 minutes left in the game, but Langella’s hat trick goal about three-and-a-half minutes later was the last goal scored.
Darcie Smith helped Hofstra win the draw control battle 13-7. Her four added to her program record which now stands at 211. Mattera picked up four draw controls as well, giving her 186 which is tied for sixth all-time in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) history. Parrella’s 41st career hat trick put her just two goals shy of Stacey Morlang’s all-time CAA record of 221. She finished the game with five points while Arianna Esposito added two tallies of her own.
Parrella will try to tie, or break, the CAA career goal-scoring record on Saturday, Feb. 20, when the Pride hosts the University of Connecticut Huskies at James M. Shuart Stadium at 1 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
