PISCATAWAY, N.J. (March 23, 2009) – The Rutgers women's lacrosse team (3-6) was outscored 6-1 in the second half en route to a 13-7 loss to non-conference foe Hofstra (5-3), Monday in Piscataway, N.J. Sophomore Jennifer Schmitt (Perry Hall, Md.) finished with one goal and two assists and senior Nina Frankoski (Maplewood, N.J.) netted two goals to lead the Scarlet Knights.

Hofstra scored three of the game's first four goals to take a 3-1 lead. RU junior Brooke Cantwell (Moorestown, N.J.) and freshman Ali Steinberg (Suffern, N.Y.) evened the game at three, scoring on assists by Schmitt and junior Meghan Flanagan (Medford, N.J.), respectively. For Flanagan, it was her team-leading 13th assist of the season.

The Pride then recorded four consecutive goals to take a commanding 7-3 edge with 5:42 remaining. RU stayed strong and closed the first half with three scores of its own, and Hofstra went into halftime with a 7-6 lead.

Frankoski opened the second half with her second goal of the game, tying the game at seven. But the Pride tallied six unanswered scores and won, 13-7. Lauren Whitcomb led the way for Hofstra with four goals, while goalkeeper Mary Cuddihy recorded 10 saves.

Rutgers returns to action on Friday, March 27, with a home BIG EAST match against Loyola (Md.), at 7:00 p.m.

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Piscataway, NJ -- Senior midfielder Lauren Whitcomb tied her career-high with four goals and also added three ground balls and a career-high tying two caused turnovers to lead the Hofstra Women's Lacrosse team to a 13-7 victory over Rutgers on Monday evening at the RU Turf Field in Piscataway, New Jersey. Hofstra pulled away late, scoring the final six goals of the game and holding the Scarlet Knights without a goal for the last 29:12 of the contest.

The win was the second straight for Hofstra and the Pride improves to 5-3 overall. It also ended a three-game losing skid to the Scarlet Knights for Hofstra, which last defeated Rutgers in 2005 (8-6 W).

Hofstra would score a pair of early goals in the contest as junior midfielder Corrine Gandolfi opened the scoring at the 26:56 mark before Whitcomb scored her first of the game off an assist from junior attack Ashley Jones with 24:55 to put the Pride up 2-0.

A goal from Ali Steinberg of Rutgers would eventually tie the score at three with 18:01 left before halftime, but Hofstra answered with four straight goals to lead 7-3 with 5:42 remaining in the opening stanza. Junior midfielder Sandy Wasserbach would tally two goals during the run, with Ashley Jones picking up her second point of the contest with the final goal of the spurt.

With Rutgers rallying to trail by just one (7-6) at the break, the Scarlet Knights came out of the intermission with the momentum and a goal from Nina Frankoski tied the score at seven just 48 seconds into the second half.

Looking to pick up their second win in a row, Hofstra took control of the contest as they scored the game's final six goals, while holding Rutgers scoreless for nearly the entire second half, to win by the score of 13-7. Freshman midfielder Maryann Miller, who was named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Rookie of the Week earlier on Monday, scored the first two goals during the run and Whitcomb also had a pair of goals as well.

Junior goalie Mary Cuddihy played all 60 minutes in goal for the Pride and tied her career-high with 10 saves.

Gandolfi added three points (two goals and one assist) in the game, while also chipping in with two ground balls, two draw controls and two caused turnovers. Wasserbach, who had three goals, won a team-high three draw controls, and sophomore defender Katie Hertsch tied Whitcomb for team-high honors with three ground balls.

Rutgers, which fell to 3-6 with the loss, got one goal, two assists and six draw controls from Jennifer Schmitt. Frankoski added two goals for the Scarlet Knights. Sandra Abel took the loss for Rutgers, while making five saves.

Hofstra returns to action on Wednesday when they return home after completely a four-game road trip this evening. The Pride will host Long Island rival Stony Brook at 7:00 p.m.

2009-03-24