By Ed Morrone

Simon Riddiough has been around the Hofstra soccer scene for almost two decades, and even he has never seen something like this.The first-year head coach has had his roster decimated by the loss of key seniors and an unfathomable slew of injuries to important impact players. Losing players like Becky Wachsberger, Chrissy Arnone, Nina Nanavrakis, Amy Albrecht, Ashley Shaban and Laura DelBiondo was rough enough to a team coming off its most successful season ever. Then the injuries started.First, reigning CAA Rookie of the Year Edel Malone (eight goals, 21 points in 2005) was lost for the year with a summer knee injury. Shortly thereafter, junior forward Carol Leurini went down, as she was expected to make a big contribution this season. Then, budding defensive star Jess Crankshaw was lost for the season with a knee injury after playing every minute of every game last season.Riddiough, who played at Hofstra from 1990-94 and became retired coach JoAnne Russell’s top assistant over the past decade, has certainly had his work cut out for him in his first season as the team’s leader.”No, to be honest this has been a freak season,” Riddiough said when asked if he’s ever seen so many key players go down with injuries. “It’s been an awful year in that aspect and hopefully it doesn’t get any worse.”The losses make it a tough act to follow for the Pride, a team trying to build on the spectacular successes of last year’s group.”The seniors we had last year were the most successful class in the history of Hofstra,” Riddiough said. “But the younger players learned a lot from them and the freshmen have already stepped in and made an impact. It’s a situation where we have to keep working hard and hopefully learn as we go along.”But if you were expecting the Pride to throw in the flag and concede defeat, then you don’t know this team at all.There have been some growing pains thus far, but Hofstra had a solid non-conference showing (4-3-1) and head into the CAA brimming with confidence. Players like Marie Curtin and All-American defender Sue Weber are still here, and others such as Kariena Richards and Jill Lipari have stepped up.”Our starting 11 is still as good as anyone else’s in the conference,” Riddiough said. “We still practice and prepare the same way we always did and they’ve done a great job so far.”