Hofstra men's lacrosse continues winning ways over Sacred Heart

Coming off an impressive 14-6 win over seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins last week the Hofstra men’s lacrosse came into Saturday afternoon’s home game with Sacred Heart focused on not looking past the Pioneers, who were 1-4 after a 17-7 loss to a first year Jacksonville program. Last year in similar circumstances Hofstra defeated third-ranked Princeton 9-7 but the following week squeaked by Sacred Heart 6-5 and head coach Seth Tierney tried to implore to his players how tough a game the Pioneers would bring to Shuart Stadium. 

Despite Coach Tierney’s message to take Sacred Heart seriously the Pride found themselves trailing 4-3 early in the second quarter before waking up with a 6-0 run to pull away for a 14-6 win. Sixth ranked Hofstra (3-1) has now won three in a row at home after dropping its season opener at Princeton 17-14.

“This is Division I lacrosse and if you don’t bring it everyday it is just not going to work for you,” said Tierney in the post game press conference of how strong of a team Sacred Heart is despite its 1-5 record. “They are a very well coached team.”

The win before 1,502 fans on a beautiful first day of spring at Shuart Stadium keeps Hofstra’s perfect record (9-0) intact against Sacred Heart but not before some barn burners over the years including a 10-9 overtime triumph in 2003 two days after the Pride had defeated seventh- ranked Syracuse.

With the score tied 3-3 after the first quarter an animated Tierney voiced his frustrations of how his team had played in the early going. “I didn’t like the sense of urgency,” said Tierney. “We said it everyday we’ve got to make sure we bring it because they are going to bring it.”

Junior attackman Stephen Bentz continued his hot play with five goals two weeks after registering a hat trick in a 15-12 win over Brown. Junior attackman Jay Card after being held largely in check his first three games had a breakout performance against Sacred Heart with four goals, showing why he is on the Tewaaraton Trophy Watch list for the best player in the nation. The second member of the Canadian attack tandem Jamie Lincoln also got in on the offensive party with three goals after scoring five against Johns Hopkins last week.

Hofstra will now have a quick turnaround before playing at nearby St. John’s this Tuesday night at 7 p.m. It will be Hofstra’s first meeting with the Red Storm since St. John’s re-instated men’s lacrosse in 2004 after cutting the program in 1995.