The efforts of Tara McNally and Tessa Lambright lead the Hofstra University field hockey team to a 2-1 overtime loss to Yale University on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Hofstra’s losing streak was extended to eight games and the Pride now sit at 2-11 overall while the Bulldogs improve to 8-4.
“Yale is a very good team. We ended up competing very well. I think we moved the ball well; we pressed well,” said Hofstra head coach Hillary Fitts. “We scored out of the corner finally. But I think overall, really good fight from us. Sad to see it wasn’t a win, but really happy with the performance of our team.”
Lambright shined in her first career start in goal, making eight saves on the day and playing the full 66 minutes. Hofstra’s defense shut down the Bulldogs offense, led by Jamie McMillan who recorded her third defensive save of the season.
“We’ve been talking the whole week about individually playing your own job and then working as a team and we definitely came as a team together,” Lambright said. “Everyone was getting their marks and just pushing forward together.”
Yale’s offense broke the scoreless tie in the fourth quarter, with a goal from Issy Baileff, during a penalty corner with an assist from Hettie Whittington.
The Pride responded quickly with a McNally goal, earning her first of the season. Assists came from Tess Satterfield and Jaime Lewis. McNally is the sole member of the Pride to have a shot on goal in four games this season.
“I think [McNally’s] a great defender, but I love when she pushes up the field and attacks and I don’t really want to stop her from doing it because it gives us that little push that we need,” Fitts said. “When she does, it’s kind of a lot of people start to support her and I think it’s great that she’s taking shots, I think she can get some more, but that goes for everybody. I’m happy with how she was pushing, though.”
During overtime, Yale’s offense continued their press, eventually finding the back on the goal once again in the 66th minute when Julia Freedman scored off a saved shot.
Offensively, the Pride struggled yet again. While they got on the scoresheet, McNally’s goal was their only shot on goal compared to Yale’s 11. Hofstra also only received two corners compared to seven for the Bulldogs.
Coastal Athletic Association play picked up again in a crucial matchup for Hofstra on Friday, Oct. 18 against the College of William & Mary.
On the message to the team going into Friday’s game, Fitts kept it simple: “keep the fight that we have and let’s go get a win.”
Photos courtesy of Ethan Albin
