The No. 7 Hofstra University men’s soccer team begins their quest for national glory as they face the University of Vermont in the second round of the NCAA Championships on Sunday, Nov. 24.
The Pride, led by head coach Richard Nuttall, won their fourth consecutive Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) title on Saturday, Nov. 16. It was their eighth CAA title all-time, granting the team their fourth straight appearance at the NCAA Tournament. They received a first-round bye for a second consecutive year and will make their sixth all-time appearance in the second round.
Nuttall’s side faces Vermont, who are coming off a 5-0 victory over Iona University in the first round on Thursday, Nov. 21. The Catamounts, led by head coach Rob Dow, are making their 13th all-time appearance at the NCAA Tournament. Dow led Vermont to their second quarterfinal finish in program history in 2022. They’ve won at least twice in the tournament in the last two years.
Midfielder Laurie Goddard leads Hofstra with nine goals in 17 appearances this season, including three in the CAA Championship. Goddard, a junior, transferred from Merrimack College this past offseason. Jacob Woznicki is second on the list with eight goals in 20 appearances, though he hasn’t scored since Oct. 26.
Vermont is led by redshirt senior forward Yaniv Bazini, who’s netted 10 goals in 19 starts. He netted a brace in the first round against Iona. Bazini also scored both goals in the America East Conference Tournament semifinals against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. This led the team to their second conference title in four years.
Overall, Hofstra has scored one more goal than Vermont up to this point in the season, however, the Pride has also conceded five more goals. Pride goalkeeper Filippo Dadone is tied for third in the nation with nine shutouts in 20 appearances. The Catamounts have seven shutouts this season, four from goalkeeper Niklas Herceg after taking the starting role on Oct. 1.
Another big name for Hofstra at the back is graduate defender Pierce Infuso, making his fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament alongside Roc Carles and Jack O’Malley. Infuso is one of nine American-born players on the roster and a Merrick native.
Nuttall’s side is 8-0-1 at home this season and hasn’t lost on their turf in over two years. Meanwhile, Vermont is 4-2-1 on the road in 2024. Hofstra is 4-1 at home in the NCAA Championships.
This is the first time these two sides meet in the national tournament. The Pride leads the Catamounts 6-5-1 all-time in head-to-head meetings. They were America East rivals for six years before Hofstra joined the CAA in 2001. Their most recent meeting was in 2015 when the Pride won that regular season clash 4-0.
The winner of this match will face either the University of San Diego or 10th-seeded Duke University in the third round. With a victory, the Pride would automatically host either opponent. They’ve progressed to the last 16 twice in history, both within the previous three years, though have never hosted.
Kickoff from Captains Field is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24.
Photo courtesy of Ethan Albin
