Hempstead, NY - Hofstra freshman Lara Borensztein put two in the back of the net and junior Merlijn van der Vegt made eight stops as the Pride picked up a wild 5-3 win over Davidson at the Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium Sunday morning.

The Pride evens their record at 2-2 following today's win, while Davidson drops to 1-3 on the season with the loss.

Borensztein scored the first of her two goals in today's contest at 5:05 of the opening period off one of Hofstra's nine penalty corner opportunities. Davidson goalkeeper Genna Barge made a stop on a Cami Larsson shot, but the ball bounced towards the waiting stick of Borensztein, and the freshman midfielder just got enough to push the ball over the line and into the net.

Hofstra doubled their lead just minutes later when freshman Simryn Desai redirected a shot from Lieke Gorsse to lift the ball over Barge and into the net with 1:50 to go before the horn sounded. Davidson's Anna Sharp would put one on the board with six seconds to go before the end of the first period.

The Wildcats evened the score at 2-2 thanks to a tip from the stick of Natalie Natticchia, but Hofstra would need just one minute to retake the lead with Borensztein's second of the day. Senior Djuna Slort sent a low shot on target off another penalty corner, and Borensztein dove to get her stick to the ball and redirect it up and into the net with 3:17 remaining before the first half's conclusion.

Hofstra added to their lead at 12:26 of the third period thanks to the stick of junior Mercedes Currie. Desai drove down Davidson's right flank and into the shooting arc along the endline, and drew two defenders before laying the ball off to a well-positioned Currie, and the junior forward bagged her third goal of the season to give the hosts a 4-2 lead over the Wildcats.

Bella Worthington of Davidson made it a one-goal game late in the third period after her shot went off of van der Vegt's blocker and in, but Gorsse answered right back for Hofstra with 1:29 remaining in the period. Gorsse had her first shot attempt blocked, but she followed up her own rebound and smacked a fastball past Barge, off the far post, and in for her second tally of the season to put Hofstra back ahead by two. The Pride withstood Davidson's attacks on goal in the fourth period, with van der Vegt making three of their eight saves in the final 15 minutes, before the final whistle sounded.

The Pride will head north to take on Vermont on Friday, September 10, at 2 p.m. in the first of two consecutive road games.

NOTES:
-This was the first-ever meeting between Hofstra and Davidson.
-Both teams had 17 shots and 12 shots on goal each.
-Freshman Tara McNally earned a defensive save in today's game, giving Hofstra two defensive saves on the season.
-Borensztein, Desai, and freshman Eline Oldeman led the Pride with three shots each.