Seth Tierney got chills hearing Islanders fans at a jam-packed Nassau Coliseum chant, “New York Saints! New York Saints!” By then, Tierney had figured out it wasn't about the now-defunct indoor lacrosse team by the same name he played three seasons for. The NFL's New Orleans Saints knew it wasn't about them, either, but that didn't stop them from hopping aboard the bandwagon.
The Dragons are going dancing with fire breath.
Drexel earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with its ninth straight win, a decisive 15-11 CAA Championship victory at Hofstra on Saturday its first conference title since 2014 and second overall.
“It feels really good. We had a bit of a delay to start the season and then you don’t even know if you’ll get the thing done, but the kids worked really hard,” Drexel coach Brian Voelker said postgame. “Started off slow, had a couple tough games early in the year, and ever since then guys have played really well.”
Thu May 6 2021 | Nelson Rice | College
PHOTO COURTESY OF HOFSTRA ATHLETICS
Three weeks after Hofstra fell in overtime to No. 11 Delaware in Hempstead, the Pride finished what they started when it mattered the most.
Dylan McIntosh scored five goals to lead fourth-seeded Hofstra’s 10-9 upset effort over the top seeded Blue Hens at Shuart Stadium. Hofstra’s all-time leading scorer and CAA offensive player of the year Ryan Tierney was held scoreless, but the Pride still prevailed.
Upset on the Island @HofstraMLAX gets goals from Dylan McIntosh to down top-seed @DelawareMLAX in the CAA semis. pic.twitter.com/emaQ9NLuwi
The CAA is where anything can happen and it usually does.
On Thursday, anything was Hofstra upending top-seeded Delaware, 10-9, to advance to the CAA Tournament championship game for the first time since 2014.
The Pride used two decisive runs an early six-goal spurt and a late three-goal one plus a suffocating defensive effort and a hot hand from an unlikely hero to earn the victory.
Dylan McIntosh, who’s battled injury this year and throughout his career, came into the tournament with five goals all season. He matched that on only eight shots.
Hofstra coach Seth Tierney was emotional talking about McIntosh postgame. He chose the words tearjerking and heart-warming to talk about him and his road through injuries.