Women's Lacrosse Drops Home Finale

By Connect Mason Reporter Will Scullion

After a 45-minute lightning delay in the second half, the George Mason women’s lacrosse team suffered a collapse that cost them a perfect record at home and possibly the top seed in the CAA tournament.

Mason (11-4, 4-2 CAA) lost 11-10 to the Hofstra Pride Sunday afternoon at George Mason Stadium. There was heavy rain throughout the game but it was thunder and lightning early in the second half that sent both teams to the locker room for over 45 minutes. Mason scored right after the delay but then Hofstra went on a 6-0 run to close out the game.

Mason head coach Amy Bokker did not attribute the delay to her team’s play in the second half.

“I thought we came out of the break okay, we scored one and then they scored one,” Bokker said. “We gave up some pretty silly fouls. We didn’t get some stops on the defensive end and then we had our opportunities on the offensive end that we needed to utilize and make some good shots and be able to back it up.”

The game was senior attacker Laura King’s last regular season home game as a Patriot.

“We came out really confident but they just came out harder,” King said. “Our confidence was shot after those first two goals went in right away.

King and junior midfielder Alana Chan led the Patriots in scoring with three goals a piece. Freshman midfielder Chelsea Gamble also had two goals for the Patriots.

King also led the Patriots on defense with four caused turnovers, which was as many as Hofstra’s entire team.

Sophomore goalkeeper Sara Longobucco played the entire game in goal for the Patriots and recorded five saves.

King did give some credit to the rough weather for her team’s poor play.

“We’ve played in rain and we know our field,” King said. “But toward the end of the game we started slipping and getting more desperate. We were making stupid moves and turning the ball over more.”

Sophomore midfielder Corrine Gandolfi and freshman midfielder Stephanie Rice led the scoring for the Pride with three goals a piece. Gandolfi also led the Pride in assists with two.

Senior goalkeeper Maisie Osteen played the entire game in goal for Hofstra. She recorded 13 saves.

The next game for the Patriots comes on April 26 in Harrisonburg against JMU. For Mason to have the one seed in the upcoming CAA tournament they need a win against JMU and they need ODU to defeat William & Mary.