Hofstra field hockey revels in Hail Mary victory

Hockey team's 'Hail Mary' win

Hofstra's field hockey team defeated Bryant with an improbably play with just seconds left on the clock. With the game tied 2-2, Camilla Larsson heaved a pass towards the goal and her teammate Simryn Desai scored the game-winner.

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - On Sunday, the Hofstra Pride field hockey team pulled off the most improbable play in all of sports.

With the game tied 2-2 and just seconds left on the clock, Camilla Larsson heaved a pass towards the goal and forward Simryn Desai was there to score the game-winner to lead Hofstra University to a 3-2 win over Bryant University.

"I think we all joke about Hail Marys but to see one just fully executed and win a game with 11 seconds is pretty neat," head coach Courtney Veinotte said.

Veinotte said she didn't call the play. In fact, she was already thinking of an overtime lineup after Bryant scored the tying goal on the previous possession.

The players said they knew they could pull off the win if they stayed calm, focused and on the same page regarding the play.

"Let's stay composed, there's still 11 seconds left so let's see what we can do with this time," Larsson, the center midfielder, explained the team's approach.

Desai, a sophomore, said she passed the ball back and ran until she heard someone scream her name.

"I look back and it's the ball right there," Desai said. "It was a crazy feeling."

Desai, a health sciences pre-med student athlete from Washington, New Jersey, said the win was much-needed boost for the team's confidence after a loss to Northeastern on Friday.

"I didn't even know I scored at first because I got hit by the goalie so hard," she said. "Afterwards, I didn't even think about myself — I'm just happy that the team won."

With 11 freshman, it is a younger squad with a veteran presence. Larsson, for example, is a fifth-year graduate student from Argentina. She said the team is extremely close.

"It's amazing — we have people from all over the world, all different classes and ages," Larsson said. "So it's really cool how we are all on the same page, just fighting for the same goal and the same purpose."

The Pride will see a lot of conference play in the next few weeks. They're on the road at Towson University on Friday, Oct. 7, and back at home on Friday, Oct. 14, to host Monmouth University.