By Joe Pantorno, Assistant Sports Editor
The Hofstra University women’s lacrosse team dropped its season opener 14-9 to Boston College on Wednesday night at Shuart Stadium.
Boston College monopolized possession early, not relinquishing the ball for the first four minutes of the game. After a few missed shots, BC junior Brittany Wilton beat Hofstra’s junior goalkeeper Jackie Pandolf for the early advantage.
“When the attack goes on for that long and they get three or four chances, one is bound to go in,” said Hofstra head coach Abby Morgan.
Hofstra answered right back with 7:50 gone in the half when sophomore midfielder Jill Maier slotted in a shot from free position for the Pride’s first goal of the season.
Boston College was picking up fouls early with chippy play that cost the Eagles the opportunity to take control of the game.
Some great ball movement by the Pride to go the length of the field had sophomore attacker Claire Brady tee up senior attacker Stephanie Rice for an open look at the net, which she buried, giving Hofstra a 2-1 lead with 16:48 left in the half.
Three unanswered goals from Boston College put the Eagles up 4-2 with 6:56 left as Wilton and freshman attacker Moira Barry teamed up to pick apart the Hofstra defense.
Hofstra came right back with goals from Rice and sophomore attacker Jackie Ardolino to tie the game with 2:06 remaining.
With 13 seconds left, Wilton got her hat-trick to put Boston College back up 5-4 going into halftime.
Boston College flew out of the locker room with goals from junior midfielder Sam Taylor and Barry’s third of the game, that put the Eagles up 7-4 just 1:25 into the second half.
With 4:44 gone, Ardolino’s second of the game, this one from free position, cut Hofstra’s deficit to 7-5, but senior midfielder Kristin Igoe put BC back up three just a few minutes later.
Rice scored her third of the night just seconds later from free position and Brady tacked on one of her own just a minute later to pull Hofstra back within one with 22:01 left in the half.
Boston College controlled the draws for most of the game, which created a huge advantage to set up offensive chances, and Igoe’s second of the half put the Eagles up 9-7.
“Wilton absolutely killed us on the draw,” said Morgan. “She self drawed, got it to herself a lot and we just couldn’t get to that space.”
Brady quickly replied to bring the game back to one for Hofstra, but another pair of goals from Barry and Igoe put the Eagles up 12-8 with 16:25 left in the game, with two of the three goals coming with an advantage after Maier was given a yellow card.
The damage could have been worse during the advantage, but Pandolf made a number of great saves to keep Hofstra within four.
When Hofstra managed to find a way to take the ball away from BC, some risky passing and terrible clearing attempts gave possession right back to the Eagles, who seemed like they were playing a simple game of keep away from the Pride.
“When we did cause turnovers we couldn’t pick up ground balls,” said Morgan. “We threw a lot of long balls and some uncharacteristic things happened.”
Senior attacker Jill Amo put Boston College up 13-8 with 11:49 remaining as it looked like the flood gates were about to open.
Ardolino scored her third of the game with 8:24 left to cut into the Eagles advantage, but Boston College was content in keeping the ball and running down the clock.
“Jackie played great,” said Morgan. “She did a lot more than just in the attacking end.”
Wilton’s fourth of the day put the game away with 1:40 left in the game to cap off the season opener.
The Pride is next in action on Sunday when it travels to the University of Oregon to take on the Ducks at 1 P.M.
