NOTE: Stat corrections were applied on Monday, April 4. This article has been updated to reflect those changes.
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Colin Burke had a career day with six points to lead the Fairfield University men's lacrosse team to a 9-8 win at Hofstra on Saturday evening. The contest was the Colonial Athletic Association opener for both squads.
The Stags, who are the defending regular season champions of the CAA, improve to 5-6 on the season with a 1-0 CAA mark. Hofstra falls to 6-4 overall and 0-1 in the Association. Hofstra entered the contest unranked but had risen as high as No. 8 in the national polls earlier this spring.
Burke netted a hat trick – his sixth of the spring – to improve his CAA-leading total to 29 goals, while the second consecutive three-assist game for the freshman improves his point total to 40.
With four regular season games remaining, Burke is in striking distance of a pair of Fairfield freshman records. He is nine goals short of the freshman goals record of 38 established by Spencer Steele '00 in 1997 and 13 points away from the 53 (26 goals, 27 assists) amassed by J.T. Groarke '99 in 1996. Both Steele and Groarke are Fairfield Athletics Hall of Famers.
Also getting into the scoring act for Fairfield were TJ Neubauer and Joe Rodrigues with two goals apiece. Conor Dalton added a goal and an assist and Jake Knostman netted one goal. Charlie Horning also dished out an assist for the Stags.
With his pair of goals, Neubauer became the fifth Stag to reach the 100-goal mark. His 101 tallies tie him with Fairfield Athletics Hall of Famer Greg Downing '07 for fourth all-time in program history.
Will Fox led the efforts on the draw with five wins, and Joe DeLasho came away with four faceoffs. Fox's final win was the biggest of the day, reclaiming possession for the Stags with 30 seconds to play after Hofstra scored to cut the deficit to 9-8.
Also in the transition game, Neubauer scooped up a team-leading four ground balls. On the defensive end, Logan Williamson and Matt Borda each collected three ground balls and Andrew Eidenshink reeled in two.
Tyler Behring picked up the win in the cage with 13 saves, nine of which came in the second half.
The Fairfield defense stifled Hofstra's potent scoring duo of Josh Byrne and Sam Llinares, keeping Byrne off the board and limiting reigning CAA Player of the Year Llinares to one goal. Korey Henderickson picked up the slack on the offensive end for the Pride with six goals.
Jack Concannon made 16 saves in the cage for the hosts.
The Stags continue CAA action on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium next Saturday, April 9 at 3 p.m. for a visit from Drexel on Military Appreciation Day. That game is the second half of a doubleheader that will feature Fairfield women's lacrosse hosting MAAC opponent Siena at noon. Both ends of the twin bill will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
All military veterans and active duty military personnel will receive free admission to the game. In addition, limited edition Fairfield Lacrosse apparel will be on sale with proceeds to benefit military charities and organizations.
