Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra Women's Lacrosse team will have a big test on its hands this weekend as the Pride will host the nation's No. 1 ranked team Maryland on Saturday at 1 p.m. from James M. Shuart Stadium.
The Terrapins are also the defending National Champions as Maryland defeated Syracuse, 15-12, in the title game last season.
Hofstra (2-1) last faced the nation's top-ranked team in 2013 when these same two teams met up in College Park with Maryland (2-0) earning a 16-11 victory.
Pride Productions will have live video and audio of the contest with the pregame show beginning at 12:30 p.m. Nick Valastro and Matt Durant will have the call for Pride Productions.
Hofstra has opened the season with wins in two of its first three contests, although it dropped a 10-6 decision at Harvard in its last game on February 21.
Maryland is undefeated through a pair of games in 2015, having defeated the Pride's Colonial Athletic Association rival William & Mary to open the year before adding a 13-11 win over No. 2 North Carolina on February 22 in a game that was postponed a day.
Senior attacker
Brittain Altomare is leading the way for Hofstra through three games as she has totaled 16 points on team-highs of eight goals and eight assists. Sophomore attackers
Tiana Parrella and
Morgan Knox are second on the team with seven points each as Parrella has five goals and two assists, while Knox has four goals and three assists.
Senior defender
April Iannetta has continued her stellar defensive play for the Pride as she has team-highs of 11 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers, while ranking second on the squad with 14 draw controls. She trails Altomare in the draw control category as she has 16. Senior goalie
Kelsey Gregerson has played all but 41 seconds in net this season and has a 7.73 goals against average and a save percentage of .531.
Maryland is led by Zoe Stukenberg's nine points on five goals and four assists. Taylor Cummings is second on the team in scoring with seven points on a team-best seven goals. Cummings also leads the team with 14 draw controls and six caused turnovers. A pair of players leads the Terrapins in ground balls as Casey Pepperman and Megan Douty each have five this season. Maryland has shared the goaltending duties so far in 2015 as Alex Fitzpatrick has played 90 minutes, while Emily Kift has play 30 minutes. Fitzpatrick has a 9.33 goals against average and a .333 save percentage, while Kift has a 4.00 goals against average and a .500 save percentage.
Hofstra is 0-3 all-time against the Terrapins with all three meetings occurring in the previous three seasons. Maryland has been ranked in the top three in the nation in all four meetings as they were No. 3 in 2012, No. 1 in 2013, No. 3 in 2014 and No. 1 in 2015.
Admission to all Hofstra Women's Lacrosse games is free of charge.
