April 5, 2009

Box Score

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - George Mason began its CAA women's lacrosse schedule this weekend with a pair of contests that were decided in overtime. After defeating Drexel in the extra period on Friday afternoon, the Patriots fell to Hofstra on Sunday afternoon at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y. by a final score of 12-11 to drop to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in conference games.

Junior midfielder Liz Falco scored as time expired in the first overtime as Hofstra rallied from a one-goal deficit early in the extra session. The goal was the third of the game for Falco, who tied for game-high honors with Madalyn Jamison of George Mason and teammate Corrine Gandolfi.

The win improves Hofstra's overall record this season to 8-3 and its Colonial Athletic Association mark to 2-0. The Pride have won five straight games.

Hofstra took a 6-3 lead at the break behind a balanced attack that saw six different players score a goal. Back-to-back goals from Jamison and Chelsea Gamble early in the contest gave George Mason a 2-1 lead at the 21:53 mark of the first half before Hofstra closed the first stanza by scoring five of the last six goals to earn the three-goal advantage.

Gandolfi, who scored Hofstra's final goal of the opening half, scored off a feed from junior midfielder Sandy Wasserbach 3:18 into the second half to push the Pride's lead to 7-3. The lead grew to 8-4 after an unassisted goal from Gandolfi with 24:34 left in regulation before the Patriots began to mount their comeback.

George Mason scored six of the final eight goals of the second half, including two straight to end regulation to send the contest into the extra session. Senior attacker Brittany Berger scored both goals at the end of regulation to force overtime.

The Patriots got on the board first in overtime as Brittany Berger came up big again, picking up her third tally of the contest with 3:20 left to give George Mason the narrow one-goal advantage.

After a save from junior goalie Mary Cuddihy, one of her 11 in the contest, with 1:51 to play in overtime, Hofstra tallied the equalizer with 49 seconds left as Gandolfi sent a pass to the stick of junior midfielder K'Leigh Vanaman, who found the back of the net for her first goal of the game.

Sophomore defender Bettina Mianulli corraled the ensuing draw control and Hofstra took the possession into the offensive end with less than 30 seconds left. With time winding down, a foul was called on Mason freshman Emily Ellisen and the Pride's Vanaman was set up for a free-position shot with only two seconds left. Once play resumed, Vanaman found a wide-open Falco near the far post and the transfer from Marist ended the contest at the buzzer.

Jamison tied Gandolfi for game-high honors with five points (three goals, two assists), and Brittany Berger's three goals were the final three goals of the game for the Patriots. Senior defender Maggie Bridges had five ground balls and two caused turnovers for George Mason, while senior midfielder Alana Chan posted a game-high five draw controls. Junior Sara Longobucco made nine saves in net for the Patriots.

Senior defender Alysse Ruszkowski posted a game-high seven ground balls in the contest and also added two draw controls and two caused turnovers for Hofstra. Cuddihy added five ground balls and a caused turnover, while sophomore defender Katie Hertsch chipped in with four ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Gandolfi finished with five points on three goals and two assists, while Wasserbach (two assists), junior attacker Ashley Jones (two goals, one assist) and Vanaman (one goal, one assist) all joined Falco and Gandolfi with multiple points in the contest.

The Patriots play again on Friday, April 10 at 4 p.m. against Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va.