Newark, DE - Nikki Mennella and Kerry Walser each had four goals to lead the Hofstra women's lacrosse team to a 19-11 victory over Delaware on Sunday afternoon at Delaware Stadium. The win clinched a berth in the upcoming CAA Championship for the Pride. 

The Pride's 6-0 CAA mark is the program's best since the 2015 squad went 6-0 in conference play. 

Nikki Mennella and Walser each added an assist in the game to account for five points apiece, while Lauren Coletti, Kristen Redding, and Melissa Sconone all contributed hat tricks as well. 

Hofstra improved to 9-5 overall in addition to the unblemished CAA mark. Delaware dropped to 9-5 and 2-4 in conference play. 

The two teams combined for 13 goals in a high-scoring first quarter that saw the Pride lead 8-5 after 15 minutes of play. Walser notched her hat trick in the first quarter to lead the way offensively for the Pride. Delaware scored the first two goals of the second quarter to close the gap to one, but Hofstra would end the second quarter with four consecutive goals to lead 12-7 at the break. Nikki Mennella had a pair of goals during the run that extended the lead to five. 

Nikki Mennella would add two more goals in the third quarter that allowed the Pride to lead 15-9 after 45 minutes. Hofstra then put the finishing touches on the resounding victory by scoring four of the six goals in the last stanza. 

Sconone led the Pride with six points as she added three assists and a career-high three draw controls to her goal total. Coletti (3 G, 1 A), Taylor Mennella (2 G, 2 A), and Kristen Redding (3 G, 1 A) all finished with four points. Walser added a game-high seven draw controls, while Trinity Reed added three ground balls and three draw controls. Ashlyn McDonald posted a career-high-tying three caused turnovers, while Christine Dannenfelser posted three ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Riley Gillin (2 G, 3 A) and Delaney McDaniel (1 G, 4 A) each led Delaware with five points. Lizzie Hsu had three goals for the Blue Hens. 

Hofstra dominated in ground balls, winning that category 21-12. 

Hofstra returns to action next Sunday when it travels to Stony Brook for a 12 p.m. game. That contest will air on FloLive. 

NOTES
- Hofstra is now 14-21 all-time against Delaware. The Pride has won three of the last four in the series and three straight in Newark. 
- The hat trick was Walser's eighth this season and 15th of her career, Nikki Mennella's sixth this season and 10th of her career, Sconone's sixth this season and seventh of her career, Coletti's first this season and third of he career, and Redding's second this season and of her career. 
- Coletti's four points tied her career-high set at William & Mary on April 23, 2022. 
- Ashlyn McDonald tied her career-high with three caused turnovers. She previously had three at William & Mary on April 23, 2022.
- Redding's four points tied her season-high set against Elon. 
- Nikki Mennella tied her season-high with four goals. 
- Walser reached 100 career draw controls in the game. She now has 103 for her career.