No. 14 Ohio State crushes Hofstra

OSU

Markwordt

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – With six points, including four goals, from senior Alayna Markwordt and a hat trick and four-point game from freshman Jackie Cifarelli, No. 14 Ohio State posted a 15-9 road win at Hofstra on Thursday.

Markwordt, a candidate for the 2012 Tewaaraton Trophy, added to her team-best totals with four goals, two assists and six points vs. the Pride. Cifarelli had a hat trick along with an assist, while Gabby Capuzzi scored twice. Cara Facchina had three points with a goal and two assists, with Katie Chase scoring once and adding a helper.

Markwordt opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game with a free position goal. The Pride tied the game 1:02 later when Jenn Ward tallied, but the Buckeyes then went on a three-goal run to regain the lead for good, with goals from Capuzzi, Cifarelli and Markwordt. At 14:41 Hofstra drew within two (4-2), but it was as close as the Pride would get the rest of the way. Ohio State responded with four-consecutive goals, all scored by different players, extending the advantage to 8-2. Chase, Cifarelli, Tayler Kuzma (her first career goal) and Facchina all tallied in the run. A late goal by Hofstra sent the teams into halftime with the Buckeyes ahead, 8-3.

Ohio State outscored Hofstra, 5-1 in the first 12:04 of the second half to take its largest lead of the day (13-4). Kirsten Donahue scored just 16 seconds into the half before Markwordt completed her hat trick at 28:01 and Kaila Gottlick scored at 24:37. Hofstra’s goal at 23:11 ended the Buckeye run but Ohio State responded with back-to-back goals by Capuzzi and Facchina at 20:18 and 17:56. Ohio State and Hofstra traded goals two minutes apart at 15:02 and 13:02, with Cifarelli tallying for the Buckeyes. The Pride outscored the Buckeyes, 5-1, in the last 10:30 for the 15-9 final. Markwordt scored the Buckeyes’ goal in the stretch at 6:44.
The Buckeyes outshot the Pride, 37-35, in the game. Freshman Caitlin Hester, who had a team-best five groundballs, moved to 2-0 on the year for the Buckeyes with five saves. Kelsey Gregerson had 11 saves in the cage for the Pride.

Ohio State had the advantage in draw controls 17-7 against the Pride, while Hofstra was ahead in groundballs 23-17. The Buckeyes limited the Pride to just 13-of-25 on clears while Ohio State was successful on 15-of-19 opportunities.