First Half Offense Guides No. 7 Hofstra By UMass Men’s Lacrosse

GAME INFORMATION
No. 7 Hofstra 15, Massachusetts 8
Records: Massachusetts (5-7, 2-2 CAA) • No. 7 Hofstra (11-1, 3-1)
Location: James M. Shuart Stadium; Hempstead, N.Y.
Attendance: 2,497

HIGHLIGHTS

Ben Spencer scored twice in the third quarter and once more in the fourth for his second hat trick of the year and his career. He converted back-to-back 10 yards out from the right post in the third before he added an extra-man tally in the fourth.

Jeff Trainor had a goal and assist for his fifth multi-point game of the year. He has all five in the last six games for 16 of his 17 points on the year.

Noah Rak went 19-for-26 on faceoffs with nine groundballs. It reset his single-game best for faceoffs won. He won his 100th faceoff of the season during the second quarter and ended the game 111-for-182 on the year (61.0 percent) with 53 groundballs.

Jake Lisauskas earned his second multi-point game and first multi-goal performance with a pair of conversions at No. 7 Hofstra.

Isaac Paparo had another multi-caused turnover performance with four to go along with five groundballs. It is tied for the most caused turnovers by a Minuteman in one season (Jake Smith, 25; 2011 & Tom Celentani, 25; 2010) in program history since caused turnovers became an official statistic according to the NCAA record book in 2010.

Gianni Bianchin dished a pair of assists, his 15th career multi-point game and fifth with two or more assists.

Mike McDonough picked up five groundballs from his spot at long-stick midfielder. It marked a one-game career best for the Minuteman.

FIRST QUARTER
Sloppy play from both sides led to a 4-1 Hofstra lead after one quarter of play. Hofstra scored back-to-back goals for a 2-0 lead midway through the frame before Jeff Trainor hit for the first Minuteman tally. Centered on the cage 15 yards out, Trainor shifted right and slipped a shot between the legs of Hofstra goalie Jack Concannon for his ninth tally of the year.

The Pride added another back-to-back scoring series with two from Josh Byrne for the three-goal advantage at the break. The side combined 14 turnovers over the opening 15 minutes, with seven committed apiece.

SECOND QUARTER
Byrne earned the hat trick while Brendan Kavanaugh converted during an extra-man chance as Hofstra built its lead to 6-1 with 9:25 to play in the opening half.

Hofstra built its lead to eight goals – supported by four scores and a trio of assists by Byrne – before the Minutemen tallied again. Jake Lisauskas scored on a doorstep feed from Trainor as Trainor rolled around the right post with 2:10 to go in the frame. However, the Pride answered during the ensuing faceoff for a 10-2 lead.

Jesse Leung made it a 10-3 game at the half with the final scoring series. Leung toed the crease with the clock winding down toward zero and deposited a shot by Concannon with seven seconds to play. It was his fourth goal of the season, all scored over the last four games.

THIRD QUARTER
Ben Spencer fired in back-to-back tallies 10 yards away from the right post. Spencer sent his first over the left shoulder of Concannon while he dropped his second one just inside the post and to the left of Concannon's feet. Spencer's second made it a 10-5 Hofstra lead with 9:33 to go.

Alex Moeser and Dylan Alderman answered for the Pride before Grant Consoletti scored on a man-up play to cut it to 12-6 heading to the fourth.

Noah Rak continued his dominance at the faceoff X during the third as he went a perfect 6-for-6 against Kyle Gallagher. Rak was also 4-of-6 in the first and fourth quarters and 5-of-9 during the second.

FOURTH QUARTER
Spencer added his third of the day at the 10:16 mark of the fourth, sandwiched around a pair of Hofstra tallies. It went as his second career and season hat trick.

Lisauskas also scored for the Minutemen during the fourth, doing so unassisted with 5:56 to go.

UP NEXT
The Minutemen cap the regular season and host Senior Night when Drexel visits Garber Field on Fri., April 28 at 5 p.m. Gianni Bianchin, Grant Consoletti, Dylan Gruder, James Marusi, Dan Muller, Joe Romano, Charlie Schatz, D.J. Smith, Paul Spinney and Tyler Weeks will be recognized before the start of play. The game will be broadcast live exclusively on the Lax Sports Network.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow the team throughout the season on Twitter (@UMassMLacrosse) and Instagram (@UMassMLAX).

Scoreboard