Syracuse, NY – The Hofstra field hockey team fought and battled for all 60 minutes against 10th-ranked Syracuse, but the nationally-ranked Orange came out on top in a 1-0 defensive slugfest from J.S. Coyne Stadium.

With today's loss, the Pride slip to 3-5 on the year, and Syracuse moves to 7-1 overall on the season.

The Orange scored the decisive goal with just 1:58 left in the game off a penalty stroke. Laura Graziosi stepped up and got just enough on her shot to beat a diving Merlijn van der Vegt for her first goal of the season.

van der Vegt made seven saves for the visiting Pride in 59 minutes of action, including a four-save first quarter. van der Vegt and the Hofstra defense played a very compact, gutsy defense for the entire contest, limiting the fifth-ranked scoring offense in the country to just one goal at home.

The Pride returns for the first of three straight home contests next Friday, September 23, against Sacred Heart at 3 p.m.

NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 3-17 all-time against Syracuse, and 0-1 against ACC opponents.
-With seven saves, van der Vegt has career 258 saves. They are now 26 saves away from surpassing Kaitlyn De Turo (283, 2009-13) for the 10th-most saves in a career at Hofstra.
-The Hofstra defense kept Syracuse scoreless after three quarters for the first time this season.
-The final shot total was 12-1 in favor of Syracuse, and the final penalty corner was 4-1 for the Orange. Tara McNally had the lone shot in the game for Hofstra.
-Jamie Mc Millan recorded her second defensive of the season.