TOWSON, Md. ?“ Senior attackman RYAN OBLOJ (Farmingdale H.S./Farmingdale, N.Y.) scored three goals and added two assists as top-seeded Towson University (8-5) jumped out to a 5-1 first quarter lead en route to a 16-11 victory over second-seeded Hofstra University (11-5) in the first annual Colonial Athletic Association Championship game at Minnegan Field at Towson Stadium.

With the victory, the Tigers earn the CAA's automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Championship Tournament. The 16-team tournament field will be announced on Sunday evening. Hofstra, which came into the CAA Championship Game with a six-game winning streak and a number seven national ranking, is a strong contender for an at-large berth.

This will be Towson's seventh trip to the NCAA Division I Tournament.

Towson, the CAA regular season champion and a 15-8 winner over Hofstra last month, jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first nine minutes of the game. Just 1:17 into the game, junior midfielder ALEX FOUNTAIN Fayetteville-Manlius H.S./Fayetteville, N.Y.) scored an unassisted goal to give Towson a 1-0 lead. Junior midfielder DREW PFARR (St. Mary's H.S./Severna Park, Md.) added an unassisted goal with 12:10 left in the first quarter to put the Tigers ahead, 2-0.

Senior HUNTER LOCHTE (Boys Latin H.S./Baltimore, Md.) scored off a rebound with 11:41 left in the quarter for a 3-0 lead. A goal by junior BRIAN MYERS (Orchard Park H.S./Orchard Park, N.Y.) with 6:44 left made it a 4-0 lead.

The Tigers never trailed in the game.

Hofstra got on the scoreboard with 4:58 left in the opening quarter when senior JIM FEMINNELLA (Bethpage H.S./Plainview, N.Y.) scored an extra man goal off a pass from senior JOE KOSTOLANSKY (Corning East H.S./Corning, N.Y.) to cut the lead to 4-1. With 2:08 left in the period, junior midfielder MATT FLORIO (Bethpage H.S./Bethpage, N.Y.) gave Towson a 5-1 lead with an unassisted goal.

Feminnella's unassisted goal just 1:56 into the second quarter brought Hofstra within 5-2 before senior TODD SPEAR (Friends School/Towson, Md.) tallied an unassisted goal to put the Tigers ahead, 6-2. He was the sixth different Tiger to score a goal.

Hofstra rallied to pull within 6-4 midway through the second quarter. An extra man goal by freshman TIM TREUBIG(Farmingdale H.S./Farmingdale, N.Y.) and Kostolansky's unassisted goal with 8:55 left cut the margin to 6-4.

However, the Pride would never get any closer the rest of the way. Towson answered the Hofstra rally by scoring three consecutive goals to up its lead to 9-4. An extra man goal by Obloj and Pfarr's second goal of the game made it an 8-4 lead. With 1:05 left in the half, Fountain scored his second goal to put the Tigers ahead, 9-4.

The Pride came back with a goal by freshman CHRIS UNTERSTEIN (Shoreham Wading River H.S./Shoreham, N.Y.) to make it a 9-5 game with just 31 seconds left in the half. After Hofstra won the ensuing faceoff, senior defenseman NEIL ADAMS (Archbishop Spalding H.S./Severna Park, Md.) forced a turnover which set up a fast break goal by Spear off a pass from Obloj, giving Towson a 10-5 lead with 13 seconds left in the half.

In the first 16 seconds of the second half, the Tigers scored twice to take a 12-5 lead. Junior BEN DeFELICE (Towson H.S./Towson, Md.) won the opening faceoff and raced down to score a goal just ten seconds into the second half. Hofstra was called for a penalty on the play and six seconds later, senior BRAD MONACO (Orchard Park H.S./West Seneca, N.Y.) scored an extra man goal off a pass from Obloj to give Towson its biggest lead of the game.

After the Pride scored three consecutive goals to make it a 12-8 game, Lochte scored an extra man goal to give the Tigers a 13-8 lead with 8:45 remaining in the third quarter. A pair of goals by Obloj in the third quarter helped the Tigers take a 15-10 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Tigers dominated play in the fourth quarter and ran time off the clock as they allowed just one goal in the fourth quarter, a goal by senior BRYAN WALKER (Hicksville H.S./Hicksville, N.Y.) with 6:06 left in the game. Pfarr's third goal of the game with 2:50 left in the game closed out the scoring.

Senior defenseman ADAM BAXTER (Severna Park H.S./Severna Park, Md.) of Towson was named as the CAA Tournament's Most Valuable Player as he led a Tiger defensive effort that helped Towson outshoot Hofstra, 52-30. Towson also forced 25 turnovers by Hofstra and had a 55-44 edge on ground balls.

Obloj and Pfarr, who each scored three goals to lead Towson, were also named to the all-tournament team. Lochte added two goals and an assist while Fountain and Spear each scored twice.

Senior DANNY COCCHI (Hicksville H.S./Hicksville, N.Y.) also made the all-tournament team, along with DeFelice.

Kostolansky led Hofstra with two goals and two assists while freshman John Keysor (Ward Melville H.S./Setauket, N.Y.) had two goals and one assist.

The CAA championship was the Tigers' first in any sport since joining the league last year.

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