Dylan McIntosh, Ryan Tierney save Hofstra's season as they beat UMass
Hofstra's Ryan Tierney scored a career-high six goals for the Pride. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Ryan Tierney fed Dylan McIntosh in front for a goal 2:32 into sudden death, and Hofstra’s hopes for making the four-team CAA men’s lacrosse tournament had sudden life.
The Pride had fallen four times by one goal, twice against ranked teams. But they wrote a different script Saturday at Shuart Stadium, rallying to force overtime and stunning No. 17 UMass, 10-9, behind McIntosh’s winner, Tierney’s career-high six goals and eight points and Bobby Casey’s career-high 16 saves.
They had dropped their CAA opener, 10-9, at Towson the previous Saturday. So this win may have saved Hofstra’s conference season because 1-1 is a lot better than 0-2 with a short schedule.
“It’s a unique sport, especially when your conference season is only five games,” coach Seth Tierney said. “So I can’t argue with saying it saved it.”
He spoke about “tough luck” with “balls not bouncing our way” and injuries in this rebuilding season. His Pride had dropped three straight and seven of eight to fall to 3-7 before rallying for the win.
“I can’t be happier for our guys,” he said. “…They got what they deserved today.”
The Minutemen (7-4, 1-1) are the CAA’s defending regular-season and tournament champs. They came in ranked No. 1 in the country in goals-against average at 8.10. They got two goals apiece from Gabriel Procyk and Isaac Paparo, but the Pride snapped their six-game winning streak.
“They’ve got a young group, so they’re growing it this year,” said UMass coach Greg Cannella, a former Lynbrook All-America attackman. “When you’re in that situation, a win like this will carry them a long way, give them a lot of confidence moving forward knowing that they can win games like this.”
Casey made a save on Devin Spencer 1:07 into overtime. Then McIntosh beat East Islip’s Sean Sconone for a man-up goal, a satisfying moment that ended his second game back after missing six with a fractured jaw.
“It feels pretty good,” McIntosh said. “When I was out, it made me hungry to get back.”
Hofstra was down 9-7 in the fourth. But Jimmy Yanes cut it to one with 3:52 left in regulation.
Ryan Tierney followed with a goal from a sharp right angle to tie it with 1:48 on the clock, giving the junior attackman a career-high 32 goals.
“There’s never a loss of belief on our team,” he said.
The Pride trailed 6-4 at halftime, and it trailed 8-7 after three. Jeff Trainor made it a two-goal game 2:08 into the fourth, but Hofstra pitched a shutout from there.
“After everything that happened to us this year,” Casey said, “it takes mental toughness to go out there in overtime and say that we’re going to win this game.”
