Hempstead, NY – Senior Alexa Mattera of the Hofstra women's lacrosse team scored a game and team-high four goals, but the Pride fell to the No. 16 University of Southern California Trojans by a slim 9-8 margin at James M. Shuart Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
In the season opener for both teams, USC moved to 1-0 while Hofstra fell to 0-1.
 
In addition to Mattera, two other Pride players found the back of the net including senior Alyssa Parrella and sophomore Grace Langella who each scored twice. Junior Katie Whelan assisted on two goals for the Pride.
 
Defensively, Mattera also led the Pride with four ground balls and one caused turnover, while junior Shannon Boyle picked up three ground balls. Senior Darcie Smith pulled down eight draw controls and junior Sabrina Cristodero pulled down three in her Hofstra debut. Four Pride players caused one turnover including Smith, Boyle, Mattera and sophomore Anna Kauffman. Sophomore goalkeeper Jess Smith had an excellent game in between the pipes, compiling a career-high 14 saves.
 
USC's Emily Concialdi scored the first goal of the contest just over 7:30 in, but Hofstra got on the scoreboard with Parrella's first goal of the season, assisted by Whelan. The Trojans answered with back-to-back goals in a 60-second span, however Langella kept things close with a free position goal with 4:28 to go in the first half. USC added one more goal two minutes before the halftime break to set the score, 4-2 at halftime.
 
Hofstra caught fire right out the locker room and scored four of the game's next five goals, including three by Mattera in less than six minutes. Less than a minute after Mattera's third-straight goal, Langella gave Hofstra its first lead of the contest with 20:37 to go in the second half, 6-5. Just over 20 seconds later, USC leveled the contest back up at six.
 
The Pride never let up and buried goals on back-to-back shots, including a man-up opportunity by Mattera and a free position goal by Parrella to increase Hofstra's lead to two, 8-6. The Trojans went on to score the final three goals of the contest in approximately seven minutes, and recorded the game-deciding goal off a free position attempt with 2:01 on the clock.
                                                                                    
For USC, Emily Concialdi scored three goals and added one assist. Kerrigan Miller added two goals, and Riley Hertford recorded 11 saves.
 
Hofstra is back in action on Saturday, February 15 against the Bucknell Bison. Opening draw is set for 2 p.m.
 
Notes:
-Hofstra is now 10-7 in season openers during the program's Colonial Athletic Association era and 7-4 in its last 11 home openers
-Hofstra and USC also met in last year's season opener in Los Angeles. The Trojans won that contest, 15-10
-Hofstra tallied 23 shots and 19 shots on goal.