Three was the magic number for Hofstra with a three-goal second quarter, a three-goal performance from Sophomore Sam Llinares and a great defensive effort as they were able to hold off junior Jesse King and the Ohio State Buckeyes 7-5 for its third consecutive win.
The Pride improves to 3-2 on the year with the win while Ohio State drops to 1-4.
Llinares, named to the 2014 Tewaaraton watch list this week, had four points and recorded his second hat trick of the season. Seniors Torin Varn (2 G), Drew Coholan (1 G 1 A) had big days while red-shirt sophomore Korey Hendrickson added two assists. Even though the offense consistently added to the lead, it was the Pride’s defense, particularly freshman defender Finn Sullivan that was Head Coach Seth Tierney’s key to earning the victory.
“We knew that Finn was the right guy for Jesse King but also we have to share him,” Tierney said. “The one thing that we stayed true was to what we do. You get tempted as a coach to change up the defensive game plan because of a guy like Jesse King and we stayed with Hofstra defense.”
The Buckeyes got on the board first and saw their only lead with Sean Giampietro’s first of the season assisted by King at 9:54. Both teams were unable to score for most of the first quarter until Sam Llinares notched his eighth of the year with 49 seconds left.
To start the second quarter, Varn scored a goal on a quick pass from fellow Senior Drew Coholan for his sixth of the season to give Hofstra the lead for the game. With 5:01 to go, Llinares scored his second of the game followed by Senior attackman Lance Yapor who capitalized on the extra-man opportunity to increase Hofstra’s lead to 4-1 at the halftime mark.
After the break, freshman attacker J.T. Blubaugh was caught cross-checking allowing Hofstra’s Coholan to capitalize on another EMO. The Buckeyes were able to cut the deficit within two at 5-3 with a man-up goal in the third and an even strength goal to start the fourth by junior midfielder Turner Evans.
Llinares earned himself the hat trick with 9:18 remaining and assisted Varn in getting the 7-3 lead on the man-up.
“We played a ton of defense and we have to give our guys a break to last the whole game,” Llinares said. “They just did a tremendous job defensively and we grind out possessions and just made sure when the looks are there we have to capitalize and we did that.”
The only time Ohio State had a look of a comeback was when the Buckeyes answered with back-to-back goals three minutes apart from junior Reegan Comeault and King’s first of the game and 14th of the season with 3:31 left to play. That would not be enough for the Buckeyes, as Hofstra and goalie Chris Selva knew what to preach in the huddle in the final minutes of the game.
“Coach always praises that one possession and says we need that one possession on offense to score and if we don’t score we need a great shot. On defense we need that one stop,” Selva said.
Both teams were even with 24 shots while Hofstra won the ground ball battle 25-24. Ohio State went 10-16 in faceoffs while Hofstra was only 6-16.
“They got us a little emotionally at the faceoff x and we need to make some adjustments and we will,” Tierney said.
Back in net, goalie Selva earned Hofstra the win with eight saves while Ohio State’s Greg Dutton made six saves.
“Throughout the course of the year it’s a story and every game is a chapter,” Tierney said. “We’re just experiencing different chapters every week until this book of 2014 is written.”
Looking ahead to chapter six, Hofstra will host Colonial Athletic Association opponent University of Delaware (5-2) next Saturday, March 15 at 3 pm at James M. Shuart Stadium.
