Palo Alto, CA - Claire Hubbard scored the game-winner with 1:26 left in the second overtime as #11 Stanford escaped with a 14-13 win over #19 Hofstra in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Wednesday evening at Cagan Stadium.
Hofstra drops to 6-3 with the loss this season, with all three losses coming by one goal to teams ranked in the top 11 in the nation at the time of the game (13-12 to #8 Notre Dame and 6-5 to #4 Penn). Stanford improves to 6-4 with the victory.
Hofstra, which jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the contest, was led by senior midfielder Corrine Gandolfi who tallied two goals, two assists, five draw controls and three ground balls in the game. Junior defense Katie Hertsch had a team-high four ground balls, along with two draw controls, while sophomore defense Chrissy Jones also added two caused turnovers.
Gandolfi got Hofstra on the board first with a free-position goal at the 26:36 mark before goals from senior attack Liz Falco, freshman midfielder Jill Maier and another from Falco allowed the Pride to earn the 4-1 advantage with 18:48 left in the opening stanza.
The Cardinal would battle back and eventually knot the score at five on a goal from Leslie Foard with 8:28 to play. The Pride quickly answered, though, as Hofstra erupted for four straight goals and led 9-5 with 1:49 left in the half following an unassisted tally from freshman attack Jackie Ardolino.
Stanford would take the momentum into the break, though, as the Cardinal scored twice in the final 56 seconds of the opening stanza to trail by just two, 9-7, at halftime.
A 4-1 run by Stanford to start the second half would allow the Cardinal to take its first lead of the game, 11-10, with 14:58 left in regulation on a free-position goal from Sarah Flynn.
Back-to-back goals from Hertsch and Maier with under ten minutes left in regulation would push the Pride in front by the score of 12-11, but Stanford's Julie Christy sent the game into overtime with an unassisted goal with 4:13 to play.
Both teams would each score once in the first overtime, with Hofstra's coming off the stick of Gandolfi before Hubbard sent the Pride to the heartbreaking defeat with an unassisted goal with 1:26 on the clock in the second overtime.
Falco added three goals for Hofstra, while Maier and Ardolino each chipped in with two goals. Senior goalie Mary Cuddihy took the loss for Hofstra despite making seven saves.
Foard and Lauren Schmidt each scored four goals and added an assist for the Cardinal. Christy had a game-high seven draw controls, while also added four ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Today's game marked Hofstra's final non-conference game of the season as the Pride will return to action on Friday, April 9 when they open Colonial Athletic Association play with a 7 p.m. contest against William & Mary.
