Princeton, NJ - Hofstra junior Jamie Lincoln recorded four goals and one assist in his debut and sophomore Mike DeNapoli added three goals and one assist but the Tigers outscored the Pride, 8-4 over the last 23 minutes to post a 17-14 victory at the Class of 1952 Stadium in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

Lincoln, the transfer from the University of Denver, tallied two goals in each half while DeNapoli tallied all three of his goals in the first half. Juniors Stephen Bentz and Jay Card each recorded two goals and two assists while newcomer Adrian Sorichetti posted a goal and two assists for the Pride. Hofstra split the netminding duty on Saturday with sophomore Andrew Gvozden playing the first half, making seven saves and allowing nine goals while freshman Rob Bellairs played the final two quarters, making two saves and allowing eight goals.

Princeton was led by junior Chris McBride with four goals, freshman Jeff Froccaro with three second half goals, junior Jack McBride with two goals and one assist and senior Rob Engelke with one goal and four assists which recorded the first victory for new coach Chris Bates.

The Pride got off to a slow start, trailing 3-0 after the first 3:07 on goals by Chris McBride, Mike Chanenchuk and Jack McBride. But sophomore Mike DeNapoli notched his first career goal at the 10:17 mark, and Lincoln tallied his first Pride goal 3:19 into the second to close the deficit to 3-2. After Princeton's Tyler Moni and DeNapoli exchanged goals over the next three minutes, the cousins McBride-Chris and Jack-and sophomore Mike Grossman tallied goals to build a 7-3 advantage with 5:18 to play.

Hofstra regrouped and went on a 4-0 run over the next 2:21 to tie the game at 7-all. Bentz started the run off a perfect pass from defender Mike Skudin at the 5:18 mark. Forty seconds later, Lincoln scored a man-up goal off a pass from Sorichetti. DeNapoli tallied his third of the game, off a pass from behind from Sorichetti, at the 3:24 mark, and Bentz notched his second, off a turnover, nine seconds later to tie the game. But Tiger senior Scott MacKenzie and sophomore Peter Smythe scored seven seconds apart in the final 30 seconds of the half to take a 9-7 lead at the intermission.

The Pride came out in the second half and took the lead with three unanswered goals within 90 seconds. Card notched his first off a rebound at the 11:36 mark, and Lincoln added another unassisted goal off a loose ball 30 seconds later to tie the game at 9-9. Senior Dan Stein gave the Pride their only lead of the game at 10-9 at the 10:06 mark off a perfect pass from DeNapoli.

Princeton came right back and scored the next three goals as Chris McBride, Froccaro and Moni dented the twine to give the Tigers a 12-10 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Sorichetti cut the deficit to one with an extra-man goal off a pass from Card just 1:27 into the final stanza. But The Tigers Chanenchuk and Chris McBride scored over the next 3:07 to boost the Princeton lead to 14-11.

Hofstra wasn't through as Card notched his second of the game off a loose ball less than a minute later and Lincoln fired in a bullet from left of Tiger goalie Tyler Fiorito ( 11 saves) almost a minute after that to close to 14-13. Froccaro scored his second of the game on a one-on-one with Pride goalie Rob Bellairs at the 6:49 mark but Hofstra sophomore Brad Loizeaux notched his first of the year on a run across the box 25 seconds later to keep the Pride within one at 15-14.

With the Pride getting just a handful of shots the rest of the way, Princeton added to its lead as Froccaro added his third from Engelke with 2:09 to play, and Engelke notched his first on a breakaway off a pass from Chanenchuk with 37 seconds to play for the 17-14 victory.

The Pride outshot the Tigers, 41-29, and picked up 31 ground balls to Princeton's 29. But Fiorito's eight saves in the second half, including six in the fourth quarter, was the difference for the Tigers.

Hofstra returns to action next Saturday, March 6 at home at James M. Shuart Stadium when the Pride entertain the Bears of Brown at 1 p.m.

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