The Hofstra Pride mens lacrosse team lost its Colonial Athletic Association tournament quarterfinal game against University of Massachusetts 10-6 on Thursday night at Garber Field, ending the Prides season.
It was the second game in a row that Hofstra played against the Minutemen. Although this game was a little bit closer, Hofstra couldnt close the gap to move on to the CAA finals.
Hofstras main issue was its offense. For the second time, the Pride managed just six scores against UMass. It was also Hofstras seventh game in its last eight that it failed to reach double digits on the scoreboard.
Dylan Alderman (three), Jimmy Yanes (two), and Dylan McIntosh (one) provided all of the offense for the Pride. Ryan Tierney, the teams leading scorer, went scoreless on six shot attempts.
Defensively, Hofstra failed to stop the barrage from the Minutemen. UMass attempted 46 shots, 32 of which were on goal. While all-conference goalkeeper Jack Concannon was able to save 22 of the shots he faced, the defense put him in a tough situation to keep UMass off the board.
Hofstra also failed to improve in ground balls, where UMass snagged 28 compared to 21 for Hofstra. The extra possessions allowed UMass to continue to pelt Hofstra with shots until the Minutemen got their 10 goals.
The ending is a bittersweet one for the Pride. Hofstra dropped four of its last five contests. It was the second season in a row that Hofstra stumbled down the stretch; last year, Hofstra lost three of its last four games after starting the season 10-0.
Hofstra loses a strong senior class at the end of the season. Concannon is the most crucial player that Hofstra will have to replace. The senior goalkeeper was a two-time Tewaaraton Watch List member and a key part of Hofstras success in the last few seasons. Hofstra also graduates Trevor Kupecky, Alex Moeser, Brendan Kavanagh, and Alderman from its offense alongside key players on the other end such as Brenden Lynch, Luke Gomez, Tanner Griffin, and John Puckhaber. Hofstra will have to rebuild much of its starting lineup, including a defensive end that was reliable on upperclassmen this year.
Unfortunately for the Pride, an upstart UMass team stood between Hofstra and a shot at the NCAA tournament. For the second year in a row, the Minutemen have ended Hofstras season with a quarterfinal victory over Hofstra. The Pride will hope to reload for next season, particularly on defense, to gun for a shot at their first CAA title since 2008.
