By Max Sass, Sports Editor
Blue skies, hot sun and slight wind filled the air on the gorgeous 61 degree day Saturday at Shuart Stadium. It was as if the two teams were playing in Jacksonville, FL the weather was so nice. The teams instead were playing on Long Island, but the Jacksonville Dolphins may have brought some of their nice weather north with them.
The Dolphins also brought a whole lot of fight and surprise to Hempstead, leading the Pride 8-6 at halftime and fighting to the bitter end despite being just a first year program. "My hat goes off to Jacksonville," Hofstra head coach Seth Tierney said post game.
The Pride were able to beat the Dolphins 14-10 using a 5-1 fourth quarter to pull away. Tierney attributed much of the Pride's early struggles to a hangover from the Penn State loss. "It has to be shaken out a little bit and it took us a little while and it happened and it came around and in the second half the stats and the score reflected it," Tierney said.
The Pride led 4-2 after the first quarter on the strength of goals by freshman attackmen Drew Coholan and Aaron Jones as well as junior attackmen Jamie Lincoln and Jay Card. Card's goal hit the back of the net with just four-tenths of a second remaining in the quarter and gave the Pride a two goal lead.
Jacksonville took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Pride 6-2 in the period. The Dolphins were more efficient than the Pride, scoring six goals on seven shots while the Pride scored just two goals on 12 shots. The Pride trailed at halftime for the first time since March 27 when it trailed UMass.
"I promised them I wouldn't yell [at halftime]," Tierney said. "I promised them I wouldn't scream. I told them they have 30 more minutes of my life."
Tierney's peaceful halftime lockerroom presence must have helped as the Pride used a dominating second half to beat the Dolphins. Card also helped, scoring two goals in the third quarter including the tying goal. "I just tried to stay calm for the most part," Card said. "If I kept shooting, they'd eventually go in."
Tierney credited Card for much of the comeback. "From the moment we met in his Canadian leather sleeved jacket he has been there for us," Tierney said. "He's comfortable leading by example."
Sophomore midfielder Brad Loizeaux opened the fourth quarter scoring, giving the Pride a 10-9 lead. Loizeaux scored five points in the game including three goals, bringing his season total to 18.
Freshman midfielder and face-off specialist John Antoniades won 19 of 27 faceoffs in the game including 11 of 12 in the second half. Sophomore goalie Andrew Gvozden moved to 3-1 on the season after making six saves in the game, including three in the pivotal fourth quarter.
While the Pride did not get the help they needed from CAA opponents and can not make the CAA tournament, hope for an NCAA at-large bid is still alive. The Pride's May 1 matchup with Towson is the team's last opportunity to show the selection committee they are deserving.
Despite losing five games to open the season, the Tigers have won their first four CAA games and clinched a spot in the CAA Tournament. "We have to prepare with what is going to be a war here in a week," Tierney said.
Tierney also guarenteed that the same slow start that plauged the Pride against Jacksonville will not happen against Towson. "We'll be fresh as a daisy Saturday night," he said.