HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Elon women's lacrosse team (3-4, 0-1 CAA) dropped its conference opener to Hofstra (5-4, 1-0 CAA) on Saturday, coming up just shy in a 7-6 defensive stalemate at James M. Shuart Stadium.

Freshman Lizzie Scalzo tied the game on a free position goal with just 1:59 left in regulation, but the Pride scored on the ensuing possession to retake the lead. Hofstra outscored Elon 4-2 in the second half to earn the conference victory.

Lillian Austin paced the Phoenix with a pair of goals, with four other Phoenix finding the net. High winds led to 33 combined turnovers, including 11 unsuccessful clear attempts.

The game saw 13 combined goals, the fewest scored in a CAA game featuring Elon since the Phoenix and James Madison combined for just 11 on March 7, 2021.

How It Happened

• Hofstra scored the first three goals of the game to take a 3-0 lead into the second quarter.
• Elon responded with a scoring flurry of its own in the second, with Gwen Eilender converting the first goal of the day for the Phoenix with 12:11 left in the second quarter. Anna Hackett then cut Elon's deficit to one with a goal at the 10:14 mark before Austin tied the contest with a free position tally with 8:52 on the clock.
• Mackenzie Coleman gave Elon its first lead of the contest, scoring on a free position shot with just over four minutes left in the first half to make it 4-3 for the Phoenix.
• After being held scoreless by Elon's defense for nearly 20 minutes of game time, Hofstra returned to the scoresheet with an early third quarter goal. The Pride then retook the lead at the 7:20 mark.
• Austin notched her second goal of the contest with 5:24 remaining in the third to knot the score at 5-5 heading to the final frame.
• A goal with 5:39 left in regulation put Hofstra back in front, 6-5. The Phoenix hit a pair of posts on attempts that could have tied the game on the next possession, but Hofstra survived the trip without surrendering a goal.
• After a crucial save by Caitlin Walsh on Hofstra's next possession, Scalzo earned a free position opportunity with just over two minutes left in regulation. The freshman shot the ball from the eight-meter and scored to again tie the score, 6-6.
• Hofstra won the ensuing draw control and eventually scored to take a 7-6 lead with 1:20 remaining. Elon secured the next possession but a turnover in the closing seconds sealed a Pride victory.

 
Notable Numbers

• Austin turned in her third multi-goal outing of the season and led the Phoenix with four shot attempts. The sophomore now has two-plus points in four of her six appearances.
• Coleman scored in a third straight game, her longest goal-scoring streak since her freshman campaign. She has netted a free position attempt in each of the last two contests.
• Eilender netted her third goal of the season, all of which have come on the road.
• Scalzo remained perfect one her free position attempts this season, as the freshman is now 2-for-2 in her career. The goal was her ninth of the season as she is now tied with Austin and Danielle Swietoniowski for the third most on the team.
• With an assist on Hackett's goal, Carley Sgueglia became the 16th Phoenix to notch a point this season.
• Swietoniowski was held scoreless on the day. She was only the Phoenix entering Saturday to score a goal in Elon's first six games this season. 
• Elon's final four goals came on free position shots, as the Phoenix went 4-of-8 on the day.
• Hofstra outshot Elon, 22-18, and finished with a narrow 15-13 advantage in shots on goal.
• The game featured 33 combined turnovers, with Elon giving the ball away a season-high 19 times. The Phoenix also had eight unsuccessful clears (15-of-23) after failing to clear just nine times in its first six games this season.
• Reagan Kuehn led Elon's defense with four caused turnovers, just one short of her career high. The junior is up to 57 career caused turnovers, one behind Abby Godfrey for the third most in program history.
• Both teams finished with 14 ground balls. Mia Zebley grabbed a career-high three to lead the Phoenix.
• MJ Santa Barbara led the Phoenix with four draw controls to help Elon win the battle in the circle, 8-7. Arianna Kouchalakos also scooped three draw controls of her own.
• Walsh made eight stops in goal for the Phoenix. The senior has eight-plus saves in four straight outings. 
• The 13 combined goals were the fewest in an Elon game since Notre Dame defeated the Phoenix, 8-4, at Rudd Field last season.
• The Phoenix falls to 4-6 all-time against the Pride, with Hofstra winning four of the last five meetings.
• This was Elon's first loss in a CAA opener since 2023.

Up Next
Elon returns home for its first conference game at Rudd Field against Monmouth on March 20. Opening draw is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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