MLAX: #15 Hofstra Falls To Towson On Second Half Rally

3/30/2013 7:06:00 PM

Box Score Towson, MD – The Tigers scored three third quarter goals to break a 3-3 halftime deadlock and held off a late Pride rally as Towson defeated 15th-ranked Hofstra, 7-6 in a Colonial Athletic Association contest at Johnny Unitas Stadium Saturday night.

The Pride fell to 6-4 on the season and 1-2 in the CAA while Towson improved to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in league action.

Hofstra was led by senior Adrian Sorichetti with a goal and an assist as six Pride players tallied goals. Freshmen Sam Llinares and Brian von Bargen, sophomores Tyler Johnston and Tyler Begley, and junior Lance Yapor, who scored with 12 seconds to play to close to within one, scored the other Hofstra goals. Sophomore goalie Chris Selva made 11 saves in the Hofstra cage. It was his sixth consecutive contest with double-digit saves.

Towson was led by a 19-save performance by senior goalie Andrew Wescavage. It was a season-high and just two off of tying his career high of 21. Junior Andrew Hodgson and sophomore Justin Mabus each tallied two goals and added two assists while junior Thomas DeNapoli posted a goal and two assists.

After a 3-3 tie at halftime, the Tigers erupted for three consecutive goals in the third quarter to open up a 6-3 advantage. Sophomore Ben McCarty gave Towson a 4-3 lead with his fifth goal of the season, off a pass from Justin Mabus, just 3:24 into the second half. Freshman Brian Bolewicki gave the Tigers a two-goal lead with his third goal of the year, from DeNapoli, just 55 seconds later. Hodgson then posted his second of the night and 15th of the year, from Mabus on the man-up, for a 6-3 lead with 3:27 to play in the third quarter.

The Pride closed to within two at 6-4 as Begley scored on the man-up, off a pass from Sorichetti, just 4:17 into the fourth quarter. But Mabus, whose overtime goal gave the Tigers a win over the Pride in 2012, gave Towson a three-goal cushion, off a pass from Hodgson, while streaking to the goal with 6:43 to play.

But Hofstra rallied for two goals in the final 1:01 as Sorichetti notched his 11th of the season, on the man-up from Mike Malave, and Yapor, who was making his return after missing the last three games, notched his fifth of the year, off a rebound in front, to close to 7-6 with 12 seconds remaining. But the Tigers won the ensuing face-off and ran out the clock for their third consecutive victory.

The Pride jumped out to 2-0 after the first 5:14 of the contest. Von Bargen notched his fifth goal of the year, on a runner from 11 yards, to open the scoring at the 11:41 mark. Llinares tallied his 16th goal of the season, coming around the cage at the 9:46 mark for a 2-0 advantage.

But the Tigers responded with three consecutive goals, including two in the first, to take a 3-2 lead. Junior Thomas DeNapoli put Towson on the board with 7:37 to play in the period on a bullet from 12 yards. Classmate Andrew Hodgson tied the game at the 5:16 mark, off a pass from DeNapoli. Towson took a 3-2 lead just 1:36 into the second quarter as Justin Mabus, who netted the game-winner in overtime at Hofstra last season, took a pass from Hodgson and buried his third goal of the season.

But Pride sophomore Tyler Johnston tied the game at 3-3 with his first goal of the season from Wescavage's right side.

Hofstra outshot the Tigers in the contest, 42-26 and picked up 29 ground balls to Towson's 20. The Pride also won 11 of 16 face-offs

The Pride will return to action on Saturday, April 6 when they square off against the Hawks of Saint Joseph's University in a CAA game at Ridley High School in Folsom, Pennsylvania. Game time for the HEADStrong Foundation Relentless Cup contest is 7 p.m.

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