Hempstead, NY - Chase Patterson posted a career-high 19 ground balls, tallied a career-high three points, and tied his career-high with 23 face-off wins to lead a spirited effort as the Hofstra men's lacrosse team gave #9 Yale all it could handle before dropping a 16-12 decision to the Bulldogs on Tuesday evening at James M. Shuart Stadium. Patterson also went over 500 career face-off wins in the contest as he now has 519. 

Justin Sykes led the Pride offensively with three goals. Patterson had a goal and two assists in the game, with both totals tying his previous career-highs in those categories. 

Hofstra slipped to 4-9 with the loss, while Yale improved to 10-2 with the victory. 

A 5-0 Hofstra run in the first quarter turned a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 Pride lead with 3:27 left in the opening stanza. Sykes keyed the run for the home team as he had all three of his goals during the outburst, including the first two that tied the score with 6:03 left. The opening quarter would end with the Pride up 6-3 as John Madsen found the back of the net off an assist from Patterson with just 36 ticks showing on the clock. 

Yale was able to even the score midway through the second quarter before the teams alternated goals and went into the break knotted at seven. 

The third quarter opened with some fireworks as Madsen scored just six seconds into the half to put the Pride back in front. Yale was able to score four of the next five goals to earn an 11-9 lead before Griffin Turner found the back of the net late in the third quarter to once again make it a one-goal game. 

With Yale leading 12-10 just over two minutes into the final quarter, Hofstra would once again battle back and the Pride got goals from Trevor Natalie and Rory Jones to even the score at 12 with 8:25 left in regulation. The Bulldogs would prevail though as Cole Cashion scored what turned out to be the game-winner with 7:45 on the clock and Yale was able to add some insurance goals to account for the final margin. 

Madsen finished with three points on two goals and an assist for the Pride, while Natalie equaled his career-high with a pair of goals. Henry Troy had a career-high three caused turnovers and added two ground balls in the game. 

Matt Brandau had nine points on five goals and four assists for Yale, which also got three goals from Cashion. 

Hofstra finishes off its three-game home stand on Saturday when it hosts Hampton in a CAA contest. For ticket information visit HofstraTickets.com. The game will air on FloLive. It will also be the final home game of the season and "Senior Day" for the Pride's 10 seniors. 

NOTES
- Tonight was the 13th all-time meeting between Hofstra and Yale but the first meeting since the 1995 season. The Bulldogs lead the Pride, 9-4, in the series. 
- Patterson's previous career-high in ground balls was 16 against St. John's earlier this season. He previously had 23 face-off wins on a pair of occasions, most recently against the Red Storm. Patterson now has three goals in his career and the two assists tied his previous high set against Marist earlier this season. 
- The hat trick was the second of the season for Sykes and the fourth of his career. 
- Troy's previous career-high of two caused turnovers came against Fairfield earlier this season.