March 27, 2011
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. –
Lindsay McKinnon’s free-position goal with eight seconds remaining in regulation capped a four-goal Hofstra rally in the second half to lead the Pride to a 10-9 come-from-behind victory over No. 17 Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon (March 27) at James M. Shuart Stadium.
With the loss, Notre Dame falls to 3-5 on the season, while the Pride improve its record to 4-5. The Irish suffered their second heartbreaking loss in as many games and their third one-goal setback of the season. Just one week ago against Cornell (March 20), Notre Dame dropped a 6-5 double overtime decision and earlier in the season fell to Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif., 13-12.
McKinnon’s game-winning goal was her second score of the game and ninth of the season. In addition to netting two goals, she also added two assists. Stephanie Rice and Jill Maier tallied three goals each to lead the Pride. Rice finished with four points in the contest as she also dished off an assist in the first half.
Shaylyn Blaney led the Irish with three goals and an assist, while teammate Maggie Tamasitis added two goals and three assists. Betsy Mastropieri finished with a goal and an assist in the contest.
After a first half in which there four ties and four lead changes, Notre Dame held a one-goal advantage, 6-5, at the intermission.
Maier scored the first of her two second-half scores 3:53 into the second half to even the score at 6-6.
Notre Dame responded with three unanswered goals to open up a 9-6 advantage with Jenny Granger netting her only score of the game and 14th of the season at the 24:54 mark of the second half. Back-to-back goals by Blaney, her 11th and 12th of the season, 17 seconds apart, gave the Irish a three-goal lead with 23:23 remaining in the contest.
The next 16 minutes proved to be a defensive battle with neither team finding the net. Maier ended the scoring drought at the 7:27 mark with a free position goal. Rice followed up with her third goal of the game with 4:30 remaining to trim the Notre Dame lead to 9-8. Maier tied the game for the sixth time with her third goal of the game off an assist from McKinnon with 2:48 left in the contest.
Notre Dame outshot Hofstra 27-17 in the contest, but could only convert on three of its 10 shots in the second half while the Pride made good on five of their eight shot attempts. The Irish also owned a 15-6 advantage in draw controls and won seven of nine in the second half.
Hofstra made good on four of their seven free position attempts, while the Irish converted just one of their five attempts.
Pride goalkeeper Jackie Pandolf made 11 saves in the contest, while Ellie Hilling had four saves for the Irish in net.
The win was Hofstra’s first-ever over the Irish in the four meetings between the two schools. Notre Dame entered the game having won the two previous matchups in Hempstead, N.Y.
Looking to end its two-game slide, Notre Dame returns to action when opens up BIG EAST Conference next weekend at Arlotta Stadium with two games scheduled against Rutgers (Friday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m.) and Loyola-Md. (Sunday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m.).