Hempstead, NY- Notre Dame's Shaylyn Blaney scored six goals, including four in the second half, to lead #8 Notre Dame to a narrow 13-12 decision over Hofstra on Tuesday afternoon at James M. Shuart Stadium.
Senior Courtney O'Connor (Abington, PA) scored three goals for the Pride, including two in a 2:49 stretch in the second half before Hofstra fell to 1-1. Gina Scioscia added a hat trick to help Notre Dame improve to 1-0.
O'Connor has five goals in two games this season while seniors Liz Falco (Yorktown Heights, NY) and Corrine Gandolfi (Smithtown, NY) each added two goals. Junior Stephanie Rice (Skaneateles, NY) followed up a three-goal output against St. Mary's (CA) with a two-goal output against Notre Dame.
Notre Dame secured the last of five second-half lead changes with 10:09 left. Blaney netted the eventual game-winner by blasting an uncontested shot from just right of the cage, lifting the Fighting Irish to a 13-12 lead that would stand up the rest of the way.
Both defenses would tighten after Blaney's career-high sixth goal. Hofstra couldn't convert on three chances to tie the score. Senior K'Leigh Vanaman couldn't convert on senior Ashley Jones' centering pass, turning the ball over to Notre Dame with 2:15 left.
Junior Jennalee Trombley (Penn Yan, NY) facilitated Hofstra's last salvo, scooping up a ground ball just before the one-minute mark. But the Pride struggled to work the ball towards the cage, turning it over behind the Notre Dame goal line without firing a shot. The Fighting Irish ran out the clock on its next possession as the Pride has lost three straight years to Notre Dame by a combined four goals.
Blaney and Scioscia both scored a pair of goals in the opening half as the Fighting Irish took a three-goal lead. But Hofstra torched Notre Dame for three goals in a 2:21 span to tie the score at seven heading into intermission.
O'Connor's unassisted goal started the rally and Falco followed with an acrobatic score with 39.6 seconds left. Falco ran from behind the cage to the outside of the right post, firing a jumping shot in mid-air for her second goal of the season.
Gandolfi's tally with 5.3 seconds remaining capped the rally, firing in a short-angle shot for the tying goal before the break.
Gandolfi posted a game-high six ground balls in the contest and also added a game-high tying two caused turnovers.
Hofstra split the goaltending in the contest with sophomore Jackie Pandolf making eight saves in her second start this season and senior Mary Cuddihy adding a pair of saves in the final 20:49 of the game.
Blaney added a game-high four draw controls for the Fighting Irish, while Ellie Hilling made seven saves for Notre Dame.
Hofstra will close a season-opening three-game home stand Saturday against Albany. Game time at Shuart Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
