Svalander's hat trick snapped winless skid for Hofstra
The Hofstra Pride men’s soccer team traveled to Easton, Pennsylvania for an out-of-conference matchup with the Lafayette College Leopards on Tuesday, Oct. 25, in which Hofstra defeated the hometown Leopards by a score of 4-0. The victory came on the back of a hat trick performance from junior forward Oliver Svalander, as his three-goal night puts him at six total on the season. Hofstra also snapped a three-match winless streak with the victory and moved to a 10-3-3 record on the season.
Hofstra was looking to get off on the right foot after drawing in their previous two matches, and they did just that, largely dominating play throughout Tuesday’s contest and outshooting their adversaries 15-5 in the win. The Pride spent the majority of the match in the attacking third and succeeded in putting 10 shots on goal, their second highest of the season.
Svlander opened the scoring in the 20th minute, finding the back of the net because of constant pressure from the Pride. Svlander was able to take advantage of a second chance opportunity, recovering a rebound after Roc Carles’ shot was saved by Lafayette goalkeeper Griffin Huff and slotting the ball home. Svalander wasn’t satisfied with just one, striking again less than five minutes later for his second goal of the match. This effort was unassisted, as Svalander took advantage of a Lafayette turnover within the six-yard box to score on an open net.
Just 10 minutes after Svalander’s pair of tallies, he was then hacked down in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick. Sophomore midfielder Eliot Goldthorp stepped up to take the kick and blasted the ball into the bottom left corner for his 12th goal of the season. Goldthorp now ranks second nationally in goals scored, standing within one goal of the national lead. He also sits sixth all time on the Hofstra single-season goals list, with a handful of games remaining during which he can add to his total.
Svalander scored his final goal of the match in the 65th minute, putting the Pride up 4-0 and completing the hat trick performance. The goal came courtesy of a skillful back heel pass from junior forward Ryan Carmichael.
Although the goal scorers took center stage, the efforts of the Hofstra defense were once again on full display in the win. The Pride did not allow a single shot on goal in the contest, as goalkeepers Wessel Speel and Alex Dudley combined to post the shutout.
Tuesday’s victory also marked a milestone for Hofstra, as the Pride celebrated its 15th 10-win season under head coach Richard Nuttall. Following the win, Hofstra now looks ahead to their final regular season match, a home fixture on Saturday, Oct. 29, against the College of Charleston Cougars at Hofstra Soccer Stadium. Saturday’s contest will be followed by the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference tournament, which begins on Friday, Nov. 3. The Pride will look to defend their title and repeat as conference champions, after winning the tournament last season.
Photo courtesy of Alexis Friedman/Hofstra Chronicle
