The St. John’s men’s lacrosse team continued to use their home-field advantage on the season as they are now undefeated, 4-0, at DaSilva Memorial Field after beating No. 17 Hofstra 11-10 in overtime.
St. John’s was led once again by standout senior attacker Kieran McArdle who had a record-breaking day. McArdle entered the day with 214 career points sitting five points behind St. John’s hall of famer Mike Bulger career mark of 219 points. McArdle had a career day as he had six goals, the last of which was the game winner, and two assists on the day for 8 points. This historic day put McArdle at the top of the Red Storm record books with 222 career points.
“Everybody here and certainly everybody in the country knows who we are going to in crunch time,” St. John’s head coach Jason Miller said. “That’s what makes the great ones. What makes Kieran great is that he makes the plays. We’re going to work hard to give him opportunities to do what he does knowing that he has the unique ability of making the play. There’s not another guy I’d rather have with the ball in that situation than him.”
“It’s a great honor to hold the scoring record at any Division I school let alone at a great program like St. Johns,” McArdle said. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, who finish goals to give me assists and are always looking for me on the field. Scoring the game-winner against a Long Island rival was a special feeling, especially since I am from there.”
The Red Storm’s (4-3) win versus the Pride (4-3) makes it two years in a row that an unranked St. John’s team has been able to get the better of a nationally ranked Hofstra team.
The Red Storm and Hofstra were locked in a back and forth affair all afternoon as neither team could gather any momentum.
Both team’s combined for an offensive explosion in the first 30 minutes of action, as St. John’s and Hofstra combined for 14 goals and went into the half tied at seven. McArdle scored five of his six goals in the first hald in the midst of his record setting day.
The score would be tied at 10 at the end of regulation as the game headed to over time. In the overtime period McArdle would score his sixth and final goal on the day, a goal which won the game for St. John’s.
St. John’s will try and extend their two game winning streak on the road against Stony Brook on March 22 at 1 p.m.
