The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team got goals from eight different players en route to an 18-5 drubbing of the Bucknell University Bison on Saturday, Feb. 15, at James M. Shuart Stadium. The Pride (1-1) were led by four goals from freshman Taylor Mennella and sophomore Grace Langella.
“Really happy that we were able to get our first win of the season,” said head coach Shannon Smith. “It was really important for our team [and] it’s a big confidence booster.”
Along with Mennella and Langella, the Pride got three goals from Alexa Mattera, two each from Alyssa Parrella and Katie Whelan and a tally apiece from Sabrina Cristodero, Camryn Faith and Amanda Guerra. “[Bucknell] never really came off of the faceguard on [Parrella], she was still able to get her goals, but it just opened up more dodging lanes and cutting lanes for other people,” Shannon Smith said. “I think it was huge for our team and it just makes us have more threats and be more dangerous.”
In goal, Jess Smith made six saves in just over 52 minutes of action and got the win while graduate student Sara Guarascio made a save in relief.
For the Bison (2-1), Kali Peeples led the way with a hat trick while Tegan Warren and Julia Bradbury each scored once. Lauren Kinnee took the loss as she was in goal for just the first 13:38 of the game during which Hofstra scored the contest’s first 11 goals. Caitlin Tucker made 11 saves in relief.
The Pride began the scoring early in the first half with eight goals in the first 10 minutes and pushing the game to running time by grabbing a 10-goal lead just 11:20 in. After Mattera sniped the top corner to open the scoring, Whelan went five-hole on Kinnee just 28 seconds later.
Langella followed suit with two five-hole goals of her own 23 seconds apart before Mannella scored her first career collegiate goal in the same spot off of a free position shot, pushing the score to 5-0 less than six minutes in.
The onslaught continued as Langella capped the 11-0 run to start the game with her third goal of the contest with 16:38 still to play in the first half. After Peeples got Bucknell on the board, Mattera completed her second hat trick in as many games to start the season to bring the score to 12-1 with still over 10 minutes to go in the first half. Warren answered for the Bison before Mannella grabbed her hat trick goal with just over two minutes to play. The Pride headed into the locker room after the first half with a 13-2 lead.
Hofstra didn’t have to wait long for a goal in the second half as Cristodero grabbed the draw control, sprinted down the field and found the back of the net just 11 seconds in. It was the junior’s first goal as a member of the Pride after over two years with the University of Florida Gators. She led all players with seven draw controls of the day.
“It’s awesome having [Cristodero],” said senior defender Darcie Smith. “I have all the trust in the world that she’s going to get [ground balls] and you saw today she came up with a bunch of big ground balls off the draw.”
It was a lower scoring half with Hofstra notching five goals to Bucknell’s three, but a number of young players got their first action as members of the Pride.
“It doesn’t shock me that everyone was prepared when their numbers got called to go in there to play at an extremely high level,” Shannon Smith said. “I think that’s a testament to every single person pushing themselves and being ready.”
Up next, the Pride will head to Staten Island to face the Wagner College Seahawks on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 3 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
