Hempstead, NY -- Junior midfielder Corrine Gandolfi scored a team-high five points on two goals and three assists, and junior midfielder Liz Falco and sophomore attack Stephanie Rice each tallied three goals, but the Hofstra Women's Lacrosse team fell in overtime, 13-11, to Towson at James M. Shuart Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Coming off two straight overtime games last weekend against James Madison and George Mason, it marked the first time in program history that Hofstra has gone to overtime in three straight contests.

The loss ends a five-game win streak for Hofstra, which falls to 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Towson, the preseason favorite in the CAA, ended a short two-game losing skid and improved to 7-5 and 1-2 in conference action.

Towson scored the first three goals of the game, including a pair of goals from Nikki Marcinik, and led the entire first half en route to a 6-4 halftime advantage. The Tigers led 6-3 after a goal from Britt Woodfield with 11:09 left in the half before Hofstra held the Tigers without a goal the remainder of the half and Falco scored with nine minutes left to cut the deficit to two.

Meggie McNamara would push the advantage for Towson back up to three, 7-4, as she opened the scoring in the second half at the 27:33 mark before Hofstra gradually rallied and eventually knotted the score at 11 with 2:45 left in regulation on Gandolfi's third goal of the contest. Falco had two goals during the Pride's 7-4 run to even the score, while Rice scored all three of her goals during the run.

Hofstra would have a chance to win it in the final minute of regulation but the Pride turned the ball over and the contest would go into overtime.

Lauren McAfee's lone goal of the contest would prove to be huge as she broke the 11-all tie 54 seconds into overtime as she tallied what turned out to be the game-winner off a feed from McNamara. Towson would tack on an insurance goal with 34 seconds left as Jacie Kendall found the back of the net for the first time in the contest.

Senior defender Alysse Ruszkowski had three ground balls and two caused turnovers for the Pride, while sophomore defender Katie Hertsch had a team-best three draw controls and added a ground ball.

Mary Teeters was strong in net for the Tigers as she posted 14 saves to earn the victory. Marcinik finished with game-highs of five goals and five draw controls for Towson, while McNamara had two goals, four assists and two draw controls.

Hofstra will head to Delaware on Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. contest.

* * * *

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Junior midfielder Lauren McAfee (Moorestown H.S./Moorestown, N.J.) and junior attacker Jacie Kendall (Souderton H.S./Harleysville, Pa.) each scored a goal in the overtime period as Towson University (7-5, 1-2) overcame a strong second half comeback effort by Hofstra University (8-4, 2-1) to edge the 19th-ranked Pride by 13-11 in a Colonial Athletic Association game at James M. Shuart Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The Tigers, who were playing their first overtime game in two years, outshot the Pride by 3-0 in the overtime period as Towson snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory.

"It was a great game from both sides," Towson Coach Missy Doherty said. "We really needed a win and the girls played well at both ends."

Less than a minute into the first portion of overtime, McAfee converted a feed from senior attacker Meggie McNamara (Fayetteville-Manlius H.S./Fayetteville, N.Y.) to give the Tigers a 12-11 lead.

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2009-04-10