By Max Sass, Sports Editor
Hofstra men’s soccer travelled South to Richmond, VA to take on Virginia Commonwealth University on October 9. The Pride drew with the Rams 1-1.
Freshman midfielder Lukas Ahman scored his first career goal in the thirty-first minute to give Hofstra a lead. Ahman was playing in a more offensive position in the midfield after senior captain Erik Rengifo moved into Ahman’s old position at holding midfield.
The Pride would allow VCU to find the equalizer just minutes later though. Less than two minutes later Jason Johnson of the Rams scored to even the score at 1-1.
“We should have won the game,” Hofstra head coach Richard Nuttall said. “[It was] an even game but the better chances were ours.”
The Pride did hold onto the tie and came out of the game with a point even though they gave momentum right back to the Rams. “The good thing was, I thought that might rock us but it didn’t,” Nuttall said. “We kept playing well and kept getting at them.”
The goal for the Pride was just its sixth goal of the season. “We actually took one of the chances we created and played very well against a quality team,” Nuttall said.
Junior goalkeeper and captain Greg Cumpstone recorded five saves for the Pride.
Cumpstone would not get the opportunity to start the next game for the Pride, as Nuttall started the third different goalkeeper of the season when the Pride went to Boston to play Northeastern on Wednesday night.
Freshman Roberto Pelligrini was given his first career start and was in for quite the surprise as the Huskies beat the Pride 4-0.
Hofstra falls to 3-6-3 on the season including 1-3-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association.
The Huskies got on the board early as they scored just five minutes into the game. The Pride tried to come back with chances from sophomore Stephan Barea and freshman Chris Griebsch, but were unable to find the net for the game.
The Pride return to Hempstead for its next three games. Delaware visits Hofstra Soccer Stadium on Saturday, October 16. The last time the Pride and the Blue Hens matched up, the Pride won 6-0 last season which was the beginning of a four game unbeaten streak for Hofstra.