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Hofstra University Athletics

THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
Senior Sam Llinares
Senior Sam Llinares
10
Winner Hofstra University HOFSTRA 1-0
5
North Carolina NC 2-1
Winner
Hofstra University HOFSTRA
1-0
10
Final
5
North Carolina NC
2-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Hofstra University HOFSTRA 3 2 4 1 10
North Carolina NC 1 1 1 2 5

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse | | By Jim Sheehan

MLAX: Hofstra Upsets #5 UNC Behind Llinares and Byrne

Chapel Hill, NC – Senior Sam Llinares tallied five goals and junior newcomer Josh Byrne added four goals and two assists to lead the Hofstra Pride to a 10-5 upset victory over the fifth-ranked Tar Heels of North Carolina at Fetzer Field Saturday afternoon.

Hofstra recorded its biggest win over a ranked opponent since an 8-7 victory at #2 Notre Dame on March 9, 2013. The Tar Heels suffered their biggest margin of defeat since a 15-10 loss to Virginia in 2012.

The Pride is now 1-0 on the year while UNC slips to 2-1 on the young season.

Llinares, the 2015 Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year and 2016 CAA Preseason Player of the Year, scored once in each of the first two quarters, twice in the third and once in the fourth. Byrne, the 2015 Junior College Attackman of the Year out of Nassau Community College, tallied two goals in the first and two in the third to make an impressive Hofstra debut.

The Pride defense, behind sophomore goalie Jack Concannon, who made 11 saves including six in the fourth quarter, held UNC to one goal in each of the first three periods and two in the fourth.

Hofstra outshot UNC, 35-25 and picked up 35 ground balls to the Tar Heels 23.

UNC junior Luke Goldstock led the Tar Heels with a goal and an assist.

The Pride jumped on the Tar Heels from the start as junior Josh Bryne scored his first of the season, off a loose ball, just 2:35 into the contest. Chris Cloutier would tie the game for UNC with his eight of the year from Goldstock four minutes later.

Hofstra would then add three unanswered goals, including two in the first, to open up a 4-1 lead. Byrne would get his second just 1:23 after the UNC goal and senior Sam Llinares would notch his first from Korey Hendrickson with just 1:10 to play in the first. Sophomore Dylan Alderman would wrap up the Pride run with a goal on the run 7:59 into the second quarter.

Goldstock would score his sixth of the season with 4:38 to play in the half before the Pride would go on a decisive five-goal run. Llinares would start it off with his second on a pass across the crease from Byrne with 3:52 to play in the half for a 5-2 lead at halftime.

The Pride tallied four straight goals to open the third quarter as Byrne score two unassisted goals in the first 6:06 and Llinares added two more just seven seconds apart with Byrne and junior Kris Clarke assisting, respectively, for a 9-2 lead.

The Tar Heels responded with consecutive goals by junior Tate Jozokos with five:02 to play in the third and classmate Peyton Klawinski 3:48 into the fourth quarter to close the UNC deficit to 9-4.

But Llinares notched his fifth of the contest, one off his career-best, with 5:45 to play in the contest to boost the lead to 10-4. UNC senior Steve Pontrello scored his eighth goal of the season with 2:15 to play to close the deficit to five to wrap-up the scoring in the contest.
 
Hofstra returns to action next Saturday, February 27 when the Pride open their home schedule at James M. Shuart Stadium against the Tigers of Princeton University. Game time is 3 p.m. The Hofstra Women's Lacrosse team will open the day of lacrosse at Shuart Stadium next Saturday against the Stags of Fairfield University at noon. Both games will be streamed by Pride Productions on GoHofstra.com as well as the Lax Sports Network.
 
 
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