HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – For the second straight game, the Elon women’s lacrosse team posted a shutout in the second half en route to a 12-5 win at Hofstra today, April 24, at James M. Shuart Stadium. The Phoenix used a 7-0 advantage in the second frame to claim its second straight win and give Elon its first 10-win season in program history.
The Phoenix (10-5, 3-2 CAA) outshot the Pride (3-12, 1-4 CAA), 26-18, claimed 17-11 advantage in ground balls, won 10 draw controls and went 17-of-19 in clear attempts. The maroon and gold saw a game-high six points from Sloane Kessler, who netted three scores and had another three assists. Both Shelby Scanlin and Stephanie Asher scored another three goals for Elon followed by two goals and one assist from Maeve Cowley. Stephanie Thomson and Shannon Horan also notched a point each with a goal and assist, respectively.
Alexis Zadjura won four draw controls for the Phoenix, while Scanlin claimed two. Rachel Ramirez picked up a game-high four ground balls followed by three each for Melanie McHugh, Abby Godfrey and Zadjura. Ramirez posted her 10th win of the season in goal for Elon with five saves after 10 shots-on-goal by Hofstra.
The Pride finished with 18 shots, 11 ground balls, eight draws and went 11-of-14 in clear attempts. Lindsay Scott tallied two scores for Hofstra, giving her 51 on the season, while both Morgan Knox and Lexi Lenaghan finished with two assists. Alexis Greene took the loss after allowing seven goals in the first 23 minutes and recorded two saves. Maddie Fields played for over 36 minutes in goal for the Pride, tallying six saves and allowing five goals.
Highlights
Just one minute in, Scanlin got the scoring going off a pass from Kessler with her 20th goal of the season. The Pride responded to even the game with a score by Drew Shapiro before taking its only lead, 2-1, at the 26:39 mark. Zadjura won the ensuing draw, allowing Cowley to find Scanlin for her second goal of the game followed by an Asher score with 24:24 on the clock.
With the game even at three-all with less than 20 minutes to play in the half, Kessler and Cowley netted back-to-back goals to put Elon in front by two, 5-3, with 18:20 remaining.
After Kessler’s second score of the game and her 25th of the season kept the maroon and gold in front by a pair, Melanie McHugh picked up a ground ball off a Pride turnover, leading to a successful clear and an Asher score for a three-goal Phoenix lead, 7-4, with 6:49 left in the half. Hofstra added a goal before the break, making it a 7-5 Elon advantage.
A Kessler to Scanlin goal started the second frame just like the first for an 8-5 maroon and gold lead. Kessler and Cowley netted back-to-back scores once again for the Phoenix by the 22:21 mark to make it a 10-5 game.
Eighteen minutes later, Thomson netted her first goal of the season, giving Horan the first assist of her career with 4:21 remaining. With just seven ticks left in the game, Kessler found Asher for her third assist of the game and 19th of season to cap a 7-0 advantage in the second half for the Phoenix.
Next Up
Elon closes out the regular season at William & Mary next week in Williamsburg, Va. The game is set for noon on Saturday, April 30.