HEMPSTEAD, NY -- Senior midfielder Katie Muth and sophomore midfielder Emily Schaknowski scored four goals apiece as the University of Delaware women's lacrosse team climbed out of an early hole and outscored Hofstra 6-0 in the second half for an 11-7 victory over the Pride in a crucial Colonial Athletic Association match-up on Sunday afternoon at James M. Shuart Stadium.

The Blue Hens (8-3, 2-1 CAA) fell behind 7-5 at intermission, but they dominated the second half defensively and netted six unanswered goals in the period on the way to their fifth win in six games.

Hofstra (4-7, 1-2 CAA) raced to a 3-0 lead midway through the first half thanks to goals by Sandy Wasserbach, Stephanie Rice, and Lauren Whitcomb, but Muth got the Hens on the board with her first goal of the day at the 14:38 mark. Schaknowski cut the deficit in half a minute later, and the squads traded goals until HU's Corrine Gandolfi closed out the stanza with a score at 3:52. Muth netted Delaware's final two goals of the half, scoring on an unassisted effort with 7:54 remaining and on a feed from Schaknowski three minutes later.

Delaware, trailing by two and in danger of falling below .500 in conference play, responded with its best defensive performance of the season. The Hens' relentless pressure limited Hofstra to two shots in the half and just one over the final 27:11. Meanwhile, the UD offense finally found its rhythm. Sophomore attack Courtney Aburn trimmed the Hofstra lead to one when McCrudden found her in front of the goal at the 21:20 mark, and McCrudden knotted the score at 7-7 with her second goal of the afternoon with 18:24
remaining in regulation.

Schaknowski gave the Hens a lead they'd never relinquish when she beat Hofstra goalkeeper Maisie Osteen from close range with 13:43 on the clock. She needed just 77 seconds to double the advantage, and Muth all but ended the game when she fired home her fourth goal at the 6:36 mark.

Schaknowski added a late score, her 20th goal of the season, to tie her career high with four.

Wasserbach and Whitcomb led Hofstra with two goals apiece, while Kelly McGrath notched a goal and an assist. The Pride have now lost four of their last five games.

The Hens didn't surrender a goal in the second half, the first time they've held a team scoreless in a period since blanking Davidson in the second half on March 23, 2007.

McCrudden finished with two goals and an assist for the Blue Hens, while junior goalkeepr Jessica Cerveny (at right) collected eight saves to earn the win. Cerveny didn't face a shot on goal in the second stanza.

UD out-shot Hofstra 29-23, including 12-2 after the break, and committed just nine turnovers to the Pride's 13.

The Blue Hens return to action on Friday, when they host James Madison at 7 p.m.

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