By Stacy Troiano
The bracket is set. As they bask in their second CAA title in three years, head coach Simon Riddiough and his team must turn their attention to NCAA tournament first round opponent, Big Ten runner-up Ohio State.
In the epitome of a mid-major David versus national powerhouse Goliath match-up, Hofstra has an opportunity to perform on the big stage-and be advised, the game on Friday night in State College, Penn., will be much more than it may appear.
“We’re confident,” head coach Simon Riddiough said. “After watching game tape, there’s no reason why I would not feel that we can win this game.”
In 2005, Hofstra’s first ever NCAA tournament appearance, the Pride lost to a very strong West Virginia team in the first round, but it’s a different type of team this time around, and the pieces certainly seem to have fallen into place this season for the Pride. A prolific offense that has tallied a CAA best 39 goals and 117 points is backed by a stifling defense-anchored by goalie Krystal Robens and CAA Defensive Player of the Year and Tournament MVP Sue Weber-which has allowed only 13 goals all season and is riding a streak of six straight shutouts into the NCAA tournament.
This year’s squad is also one of the deepest the program has had in recent history. After injuries plagued the team and brought last year’s season to an early end, this season the Pride returned 10 starters from the 2006 team, got three starters from the 2005 CAA championship team back from injury, and brought in a strong recruiting class. All of which has added up to a school record 17 wins, 16 different goal scorers, as well as 39 goals scored; 20 more than last season’s total.
The Buckeyes enter the NCAA tournament with a 12-9-1 record and a second-place finish in the Big Ten tournament, which included a shootout win against top-seeded Penn State.
The Buckeyes also boast one of the elite players in the country in senior Lara Dickenmann, who is an All-American candidate and was named earlier this year as a contender for the MAC Hermann Trophy, which honors the nation’s player of the year. Dickenmann has four goals and nine assists on the season.
The Ohio State offense, which is ranked seventh in the Big Ten in goals scored with 30 will need to break through a Pride defense that has not given up more than two goals all season and has 11 shutouts in 20 games. The Buckeye defense is ranked 10th out of 11 in the Big Ten in goals allowed, which could bode well for the revamped Pride offense.
“I think we’ll give Ohio State trouble with our speed and movement and ability to play the game,” Riddiough said. “They’re big and strong, so if we get into physical battles, we might struggle, but I think we just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
It will be no easy road for the Pride, but one thing is for sure: expect an even battle on Friday night in State College.