Sophomore Nikki Mennella scored four goals for the Pride as the Hofstra University women’s lacrosse team’s late comeback efforts fell short in a 12-9 loss against Fairfield University on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Pride cut their second half goal deficit from seven to just two with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter, before Fairfield’s Elizabeth Talluto iced the game with her fourth goal of the contest.

Nikki Mennella’s four goals were team-leading for Hofstra, including two late goals to cut the Fairfield lead to 11-8 with just over five minutes left. This game marked the third time the redshirt sophomore has scored four-plus goals in her career; she’s scored at least two goals in each of her nine career games at Hofstra. Graduate students Melissa Sconone and Taylor Mennella each had a goal and two assists while Lauren Coletti came in as a substitute and scored two goals of her own.

Fairfield was quick out the gate, pressuring the Pride defense early and often and breaking the scoring seal just 59 seconds after the first draw. Sconone tied it up just two minutes later with her fourth goal of the season before the Stags scored three unanswered goals, putting Hofstra in a 4-1 hole nearly seven minutes into the game.

Talluto and Libby Rowe led the way for Fairfield, with the latter taking control early with three goals and two assists in the first half. Talluto scored once before halftime and two more times coming out of the break, three goals in just a seven-minute span to give Fairfield their biggest lead of the day.

Hofstra head coach Shannon Smith’s timeout following the Fairfield goal showed to be the turning point for the Pride, responding with a 5-0 run. Coletti began the slow climb back with her second goal of the day seven minutes into the third quarter. The Pride’s offense failed to pick up momentum, like it had for most of the first half, before Kerry Walser scored her second goal of the season over 14 minutes later. Walser’s goal jump-started the Hofstra offense as Nikki Mennella scored back-to-back goals to get the Pride back in striking distance. Taylor Mennella also scored just three minutes later as overtime started to become a real possibility.

The near comeback was not possible without the greatly improved defensive effort from Hofstra in the second half. Holding Fairfield to just the two early goals in the third quarter, and the final dagger with just 18.3 seconds to go, the Pride put up a wall to shut down the Fairfield offense for nearly 25 straight minutes between goals.

Goalkeeper Luchianna Cardello made six of her nine saves in just the second half while Walser was everywhere on the field, causing two turnovers and picking up a new career-high six ground balls.

Hofstra now stands at a 1-2 record, suffering their second straight loss. Fairfield has now won three straight and improves to 3-1.

The Pride will return to the road as they travel to face off against the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, on Saturday. Mar. 2, at 12 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco