Hempstead, NY - Goalie Mac Gates made 11 of his 16 saves in the second half as the Pride came back from a halftime deficit to win, 8-7, over visiting Merrimack in the 2022 season opener for both teams.

Gates' 16 saves ties a personal-best mark for the redshirt junior netminder he originally set against Stony Brook on February 27, 2021. Dylan McIntosh led the Pride (1-0) with two goals in the game, while Colton Rudd and Sam Lutfi each finished with one goal and two assists.

After the Warriors (0-1) scored the first goal of the day, Lutfi and Rudd each assisted on one another's goals to put Hofstra ahead before Rory Jones scored the first goal of his collegiate career with five second left on the clock to give the hosts a 3-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. Merrimack responded in the second quarter with three unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead into halftime.

Ryan Sheridan fired a low shot from the top of the box to tie the score at 4-4 to start the third quarter, but Merrimack quickly responded to put the visitors back up by one with 6:55 to go. After being shut out in the second quarter, the Hofstra offense came back to life with the final three goals of the quarter to go ahead by two. Both of McIntosh's goals bookmarked a tally from Gerard Kane to give Hofstra a 7-5 advantage.

Merrimack brought the score back to within one early in the quarter, but a nice goal by Justin Sykes would prove to be the difference maker after Merrimack's Jack Rooney scored with 33 seconds remaining. Gates and the Hofstra defense stepped up big in the fourth quarter, denying Merrimack the equalizing goal down a man in the final 15 seconds to secure the season-opening win.

Christian Thomas led Merrimack with four points on two goals and two assists, while Tommy Rooney finished with a pair of goals. Henry Vogt totaled 10 saves for the Warriors.

The Pride returns to the turf again next Saturday at 1 p.m. against Sacred Heart. The opening face-off against the Pioneers is scheduled for 1 p.m. For ticket information, visit HofstraTickets.com, call (516) HOF-TIXX or stop by the Hofstra Athletics Ticket Office in the lobby of the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex during normal business hours. 

NOTES:
-Hofstra is 1-0 all-time against Merrimack. This was the first time these programs faced one another in a competitive game.
-Brian Herber and Bryan McIntosh led the Pride with four ground balls each.
-Hofstra went 11-19 on face-offs to 8-19 for Merrimack. Herber was 9-14 at the dot and Chase Patterson was 2-5.
-Gerard Kane finished with a goal and an assist in his collegiate debut. Also scoring points in their first college lacrosse games were Jones with a goal and Griffin Turner with an assist.
-Tom Ford, Bryan McIntosh and Richie Hickis combined for all six of Hofstra's caused turnovers in today's game.