Second-Half Surge Lifts Rutgers Scarlet Knight Men's Lacrosse Past Hofstra at SHI Stadium

Rutgers Scarlet Knight Men’s Lacrosse pulls away late to beat Hofstra

Rutgers defender Colin Kelly in action against Hofstra in a lacrosse match, Saturday, February 28th, at Shi Stadium, Piscataway, NJ. | Rutgers Athletics

The momentum is undeniable "On the Banks". Wondering why? It is because the Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's lacrosse team extended its winning streak to four games on Saturday afternoon. The team secured an 11-8 victory over the Hofstra Pride. In front of 902 fans at SHI Stadium, Rutgers wrapped up a perfect three-game homestand. And that included victories over Villanova, LIU, and now Hofstra.

First-Half Faceoff Struggles Put Rutgers Scarlet Knights on the Ropes

With the win, Rutgers improves to 5-1 on the season, while Hofstra drops to 1-4. It also marks the fourth time in the last five years the program has started with five wins in its first six outings.

VICTORY!#RUMLax takes down Hofstra, 11-8, to improve to 5-1 on the season! pic.twitter.com/i4SzreTDcR

— Rutgers Men's LAX (@RUmlax) February 28, 2026

Historically, the Scarlet Knights continue to hold the edge. Rutgers is now 19-15 all-time against the Pride and has not lost to their Long Island rivals since 1999. Over the last four meetings alone, Rutgers has outscored Hofstra by a combined 55-33 margin. The trend is clear, and Saturday added another.

Despite the final score, the opening half was anything but smooth for the Scarlet Knights. Hofstra dictated the tempo early, fueled by a dominant performance at the faceoff X by Nico Ghicas. The Pride won 10 of 16 faceoffs in the first 30 minutes.

Hofstra outshot Rutgers 26-18 before halftime, forcing the Scarlet Knights’ defense to grind through extended possessions. Rutgers did jump out to a 3-1 lead, but momentum quickly shifted. The Pride answered with a three-goal run in the second quarter. They even grabbed their first lead of the afternoon at 7-6. Rutgers cycled through multiple faceoff options, searching for consistency. However, they struggled to gain the extra possessions needed to settle offensively.

The pressure was mounting. Hofstra had the shots, the faceoff edge, and the energy. Rutgers needed something to reset the tone before halftime.

That reset came in the final seconds of the second quarter. Trailing by one with the clock winding down, Rutgers executed a crisp passing sequence that found Colin Kurdyla in space. With just five seconds remaining, Kurdyla buried his second goal of the afternoon to tie the game at 7-7. The equalizer erased Hofstra’s momentum and sent Rutgers into the locker room with renewed belief.

Sophomore faceoff specialist John Scarelli stepped onto the field for the first time in the game and completely changed the dynamic. After not playing in the first half, Scarelli delivered a near-perfect performance. He won 6-of-7 faceoffs overall and was flawless in the third quarter, going 5-of-5.

That sudden possession advantage fueled an immediate offensive push. Within minutes of the restart, Scarelli’s wins led directly to goals from Kasey Mongillo and Bennett Raphalian. Rutgers seized a 9-7 lead and never looked back.

Defense Clamps Down as Stoller Anchors Fourth-Quarter Shutout

The Scarlet Knights held Hofstra scoreless in the entire fourth quarter. The team shut the door with disciplined rotations and relentless pressure.

Junior goalkeeper Cardin Stoller was central to that effort. He finished with 12 saves on 20 shots faced, standing tall during key stretches. Hofstra managed just three shots in the final 15 minutes. By neutralizing the Pride’s top scoring threats, Rutgers controlled both the pace and the clock down the stretch.

Greyson Vorgang scored twice, including a second-quarter goal through contact. Kurdyla’s two tallies included the critical halftime equalizer. Haydn Sommer added two goals as well, recording his second career multi-goal game. With that, he also buried a vital third-quarter bouncer during the surge.

Colin Zeller extended his streak of scoring in every game this season. Freshman Evan Large added a memorable moment in the final minute. The player netted the first goal of his collegiate career to put the finishing touch on the win. Raphalian and Mongillo each capitalized during the decisive third-quarter stretch.

One of the loudest cheers of the afternoon belonged to fifth-year defenseman Ben McKelvy. Early in the game, McKelvy joined the transition attack, scooped up a loose ball, and fired home a shot with his long pole. It was the first goal of his five-year collegiate career, an emotional highlight that energized the home crowd.

With the homestand complete, Rutgers now shifts focus to a marquee matchup. The Scarlet Knights will travel to face the No. 7/10-ranked Princeton Tigers in a battle for the Meistrell Cup. Following that clash, Rutgers will continue its road swing with a midweek trip to face the St John's Red Storm men's lacrosse on March 10.

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