Hempstead, NY - Freshman Jill Maier (Honeoye Falls, NY) scored
off senior K'Leigh Vanaman's (Penn Yan, NY) centering pass with 2:06 left in
double-overtime, lifting Hofstra to a 10-9 upset win over 20th-ranked Rutgers on
Saturday afternoon at rainy James M. Shuart Stadium.
The Pride battled back from a 7-4 deficit in the
second half to force overtime in improving to 4-2. Rutgers fell to 5-1 as the
Pride posted its first win over a nationally ranked opponent since a victory
over then No. 20 James Madison last season. The game marked the fifth
double-overtime game in program history.
Trailing 7-4 at the start of the second half,
Hofstra outscored the Scarlet Knights 4-1 in the second half. Senior Sandy Wasserbach (Baltimore, MD) netted the tying goal with 47 seconds off a feed
from classmate Corrine Gandolfi (Smithtown, NY) to knot the score at 8-8. Gandolfi
passed off a free position attempt and found Wasserbach at the crease for the
score. Sophomore keeper Jackie Pandolf (Holbrook, NY) preserved the tie with a
save on the doorstop as time expired in regulation.
Rutgers opened the scoring in the first overtime as
Brooke Cantwell scored on a free position shot 3:35 into the extra session.
Gandolfi responded with her second goal of the game at the 2:18 mark to make it
9-9.
Hofstra dominated the second overtime, peppering
Rutgers keeper Lily Kalata with four shots before Maier's game-winner.
Kalata made 15 saves on the day and looked sharp
coming out of the halftime break. The netminder held Hofstra scoreless for
nearly 18 straight minutes and made a point-blank stick save on Stephanie Rice's shot eight minutes into the second half.
But Pandolf, who relieved starter Mary Cuddihy
(Manhasset, NY) in the first half, kept the Pride competitive out of the break,
allowing Rutgers to score just once in the second half and Hofstra's offense
responded with a late rally. Hofstra senior Ashley Jones (Ellicott City, MD)
netted the opening goal of the second half, cutting Rutgers' edge to 7-5 with
17:35 left. Almost two minutes later, Jackie Ardolino (Shirley, NY) blew a shot
past Kalata to make it a one-goal game, prompting Rutgers to call a time out.
The respite allowed Rutgers to regroup and make it
8-6 when Stephanie Anderson teamed with sister Kristen Anderson for the Scarlet
Knights' only goal of the final half at 14:30.
Gandolfi registered her team-leading 15th goal with
5:53 left, taking Vanaman's centering pass to make it 8-7. Gandolfi didn't
score the next goal but worked to set up the opportunity when she drew the foul
on Rebecca Alley in the final minute. Gandolfi then passed to Wasserbach with
her free position chance and the midfielder scored her fourth goal of the
season.
Rutgers built an early two-goal lead after allowing a
Courtney O'Connor (Abington, PA) goal 53 seconds in. Cantwell and Lindsey Watts
scored back-to-back goals for Rutgers and after a Vanaman tally, Marlena Welsh
and Kristen Anderson scored to once again put Rutgers up by two at 4-2.
Vanaman finished with a game-high four points on two
goals and two assists, while Gandolfi finished with two goals and an assist. O'Connor
had two goals, while Maier finished with a goal and an assist. Vanaman and Gandolfi
each posted a game-high six ground balls and added four and three draw
controls, respectively. Pandolf finished with three saves for the Pride.
Welsh, Cantwell and Kristen Anderson each scored
twice for the Scarlet Knights.
Hofstra will next be in action when it makes the
short trip to Stony Brook on Wednesday. Game time in the non-conference matchup
is set for 4 p.m.
