Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra women's lacrosse team battled back from a three-goal deficit against Fairfield in the fourth quarter, but the Stags scored late and held on for the 9-8 win over the Pride from Captains Field.
 
Hofstra is now 2-2 overall, and Fairfield moves to 3-1 with the win.
 
The Pride opened a 3-0 lead over the Stags in the first quarter off a pair by Nikki Mennella and one from Kristen Redding, but Fairfield closed out the quarter with two goals inside the final four minutes to trail by just one. Fairfield kept the scoring going into the second quarter with a string of four unanswered goals to take a 6-4 lead with 6:34 still to play before halftime. Kayleigh Bender closed the gap to one with 2:38 to play, but neither side would find the back of the net again as the guests led by one at the break.
 
After the third quarter only featuring two goals – one by Hofstra's Natalie DeMeo on a free-position attempt at 12:46, and one by Fairfield's Kyleigh Tufano with 1:21 left in the quarter – Fairfield found the back of the net two minutes into the start of the fourth to take an 8-5 lead. Redding finished off a pass from Mennella right on the doorstep of the goal to end scoring drought and make it a two-goal difference with 10:30 still to play. At the 9:07 mark, Christine Dannenfelser intercepted a pass deep in the Hofstra end of the field and took the ball well upfield before finding Mennella, who hit Julia Harris to make it 8-7. Over 1:30 later, Hofstra earned its fourth free-position attempt of the contest, and Redding buried her shot past goalkeeper Whitney Robinson for the tying goal. However, the Stags retook the lead with 2:03 left in regulation, and the Fairfield defense held firm to deny another scoring opportunity for the Pride.
 
Redding finished the game with a hat-trick, while Mennella registered four points on two goals and two assists, and Bender recorded a goal and an assist. In goal, Luchianna Cardello made six stops between the posts. For Fairfield, Kelly Haggerty finished with three goals and an assist, while Tessa Caputo assisted on four Stags goals, and Robinson made seven saves for the win.
 
Hofstra is on the road for its next set of games, heading to face Marist on February 25 at 12 p.m.
 
NOTES:
-This was the 26th game of Mennella's career with at least four points scored.
-Hofstra held a 13-6 edge in draw controls, with Mennella pulling down a game-high six and Madeleine Rudolph collecting five.
-Hofstra is now 15-7 all-time against Fairfield.