Hempstead, NY -- Hofstra University junior midfielder Lauren Whitcomb had four goals and one assist and senior goalie Maisie Osteen was stellar in net with 15 saves, but the Hofstra Women's Lacrosse team dropped a heart-breaking 14-13 decision to #13 Notre Dame at James M. Shuart Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. The win was Notre Dame's second straight and improves the Fighting Irish's record to 7-3 this season. Hofstra fell to 3-5 with its second straight loss.

Osteen made nine first half saves as she helped the Pride go into halftime even at seven apiece. Hofstra jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the game as Whitcomb had a pair of goals during a game-opening 3-0 run and sophomore attack Ashley Jones added a free-position goal with 13:33 remaining before the break. The Fighting Irish quickly recovered and scored three straight goals in a span of 2:21 to knot the score at four at the 10:40 mark. Sophomore midfielder Sandy Wasserbach picked up her third goal of the season shortly thereafter off an assist from freshman defender Katie Hertsch before Whitcomb notched her third tally of the opening stanza to give the Pride back a two-goal advantage.

Trailing 6-4 with just under eight minutes left in the half, three different goal scorers found the back of the net for Notre Dame to allow the Fighting Irish to take its first lead of the contest, 7-6, with 1:19 left. Sophomore midfielder K'Leigh Vanaman would send the game into halftime tied as she scored an unassisted goal with 40 seconds to play.

Hofstra would break the seven-all tie 57 seconds into the second half as sophomore midfielder Corrine Gandolfi scored her second of the game, but Notre Dame notched three of the next four goals in the contest and led 10-9 after a goal from Jillian Byers with 21:53 to play. Byers would be the star for the Fighting Irish in the game as she scored all four of her goals in the final 30 minutes and added a first half assist for five points.

The last 20 minutes of the game would be a back and forth affair with neither team able to pull away. Wasserbach would tie the game at 10 with just under 20 minutes left before Byers scored her third and fourth goals of the game sandwiched around a goal from Jones to put Notre Dame ahead 12-11 at the 9:32 mark.

Freshman midfielder Stephanie Rice helped Hofstra with one more run as she scored a free-position goal at 8:16 to knot the score at 12 and Whitcomb put the Pride back in front with her fourth goal of the game with only 7:01 to play.

Shaylyn Blaney, who was held scoreless up until the final 34 minutes, would prove to be the hero for Notre Dame as she scored her 20th and 21st goals of the season at the 5:06 and 4:12 mark, respectively, to allow the Fighting Irish to take the one-goal advantage (14-13).

After Blaney's second tally, Shannon Burke would win the following draw and Notre Dame managed to run off the next three minutes before turning over the ball to the Pride. Hofstra was never able to get a shot off, though, as the Pride turned the ball over near midfield and Notre Dame ran out the final minute to escape with the one-goal victory.

Gandolfi, Rice, Jones and Wasserbach all finished with two goals for the Pride, while Hertsch, who was this week's Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Rookie of the Week, posted game-highs of five ground balls and four caused turnovers. Hofstra was a strong 4-5 on free-position shots in the game as Rice went 2-3 and Jones and Wasserbach both scored on their lone opportunities.

Notre Dame out-shot Hofstra, 39-20, in the game and won 21 of the 29 draw controls but Osteen was strong in net with her third game this season with at least 10 saves. Gina Scioscia and Jane Stoeckert both joined Byers and Blaney with multiple goals for the Fighting Irish, while Burke won a game-high seven draws and Rachel Guerrera had a team-best three ground balls. Lindsey Ferguson had a pair of caused turnovers for Notre Dame and Erin Goodman made all five of her saves in the first half.

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2008-03-25