It was a big day for junior Jimmy Yanes as he scored four goals, but the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team, ranked No. 19 in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Coaches Poll, fell to a 9-8 loss in its final scrimmage of preseason play against the Hobart College Statesmen at James H. Shuart Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
A strong second half propelled the Statesmen to a win, which began with a third quarter where they held consistent possession of the ball and outscored the Pride 4-1.
After leading 6-5 going into the half, Hobart came out to score three unanswered goals. With 8:34 left on the clock, Hobart held an 8-6 lead.
From the start of the game, the Statesmen were finding ways past Hofstra’s defensive line and utilizing this to their advantage. After Dylan Alderman scored the Pride’s first goal in the first quarter, Hobart responded with a goal of their own to tie the game at one before the two teams exchanged goals again to make it a tie game at two.
The Statesmen pulled ahead when Mason Burr scored on an assist from Ryan Archer to make it 3-2, but goals from Alderman and Yanes helped to put Hofstra on top to end the first quarter.
Hobart came out in the second with two goals, one of which tied the game 44 seconds into the period to make it 4-4.
Archer would score again for the Statesmen to put them ahead 5-4 with 8:34 to go in the first half, but Yanes scored back-to-back goals to give the Pride a 6-5 lead to end the half.
Justin Scott scored his own pair of goals when Hobart came out of the locker room to start the third quarter, making it a 7-6 game.
Ty Yanko scored another within a minute to put the Statesmen up by two.
Ryan Tierney brought Hofstra within one when he scored a goal through Hobart’s defensive line from about 18 yards out to turn it into an 8-7 game.
Scott netted his third goal of the quarter for the Statesmen to give them a 9-7 lead as the teams entered the fourth.
With just over four minutes to play in the game, Brendan Kavanagh netted his second goal of the day for the Pride. It sparked the team and brought them within one goal, but Hobart’s defense and two key saves by keeper Sam Lucchesi prevented the Pride from scoring again and tying the game.
Hobart keepers Lucchesi and Tristan Dougherty combined for 10 saves, while Jack Concannon made 13 saves for the Pride and added four ground balls.
Archer and Burr led the way for the Statesmen with two goals apiece. The Statesmen also outshot the Pride 35-27.
The Pride now has two weeks to prepare for its regular season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes – who were 2017 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I finalists and are also ranked No. 8 in the 2018 USILA Preseason Poll – on Saturday, Feb. 17 at noon.
