Hempstead, NY - Senior Ryan Tierney posted four points, including a pair of jaw-dropping goals, but #9 Drexel jumped out to a big halftime advantage and held off a spirited second half rally from Hofstra to defeat the Pride, 15-11, in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship Game on Saturday afternoon at James M. Shuart Stadium. The win earned the Dragons the CAA's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
With his two goals in the game, Tierney took over sole possession of the all-time CAA goals mark as he finished his spectacular career with 164 goals. That total, which is the best in CAA and Hofstra history, is two more than Curtis Dickson had for Delaware from 2007-10.
Hofstra closes the 2021 campaign with an 8-6 record after making its first CAA Championship Game appearance since 2014. Drexel improved to 10-2 with the win, the ninth-straight for the Dragons.
Tierney's first goal of the contest came nearly five minutes into the game as put a shot past the Drexel goalie while laying on the ground after a slash from a Drexel defender. That made it 2-1 in favor of the Dragons before Drexel scored eight straight goals to take a commanding 10-1 lead with 8:29 left in the second quarter. Tierney's second goal of the game, from a nearly impossible goal-line extended angle, would give the Pride its second goal of the game and cut the deficit to eight goals at the break.
Hofstra came out of the halftime break with a renewed purpose and goals from graduate student
Justin Lynskey and sophomore
Ryan Sheridan in the first five minutes of the third quarter would give the Pride the momentum and close the gap to 10-4.
A Drexel goal from Sean Quinn ended the Hofstra spurt, but the Pride continued to mount a comeback and Sheridan completed a hat trick with a pair of goals roughly two minutes apart to make it 11-6 with 1:52 remaining in the third quarter. Each team added a tally in the final 20 seconds of the quarter, including the first of the year from senior
Brian Herber, to send the game to the final 15 minutes with Dragons holding on to a 12-7 lead.
Just one minute into the fourth quarter, sophomore
Sam Lutfi scored off an assist from Lynskey to make it a four-goal game as Hofstra continued to fight all the way back. A Reid Bowering goal for Drexel made it a five-goal game again, but Hofstra would notch three of the next four goals in the game, including tallies from Lynskey, Lutfi, and senior
James Philbin, to fight their way back to just a three-goal deficit in the final minutes. Hofstra was unable to complete the comeback as Drexel would go on to capture the CAA title with a four-goal victory.
In addition to Tierney, Lynskey and Lutfi both had two goals in the game with Lynskey adding an assist as well. Philbin posted a goal and an assist for the Pride, while Sheridan had three goals and an assist. It marked the second career hat trick for Sheridan. Herber, who won 10 of 17 faceoffs in the game, had a team-best six ground balls.
Michael Altmann had a pair of caused turnovers and a pair of ground balls for the Pride.
Bowering led Drexel with five goals, while Luke Tomak posted two goals and three assists for the Dragons.
Redshirt senior
Bobby Casey made nine saves in net for Hofstra, while Ross Blumenthal had 11 for Drexel.
NOTES
- Hofstra leads the all-time series with Drexel, 24-10.
- Tierney finishes his career with 251 points and 164 goals. Both totals are Hofstra and CAA all-time records. His 87 career assists is ranked fourth in Hofstra history and sixth in conference history.
- Tierney, Sheridan, and senior
Dylan McIntosh were named to the CAA All-Tournament Team.
- Sheridan's previous hat trick came against Michigan on February 15, 2020.
- Hofstra's last three appearances in the CAA Championship Game have all come against Drexel (2021, 2014, and 2008).
