By Joe Pantorno, Assistant Sports Editor
The Hofstra University women’s soccer took its two game win streak to Indiana to take on two Big 10 Conference schools in Purdue University and Indiana University. These match ups would prove as the perfect test to gauge just how serious Hofstra will be as they look towards their Colonial Athletic Association schedule.
On Friday, September 10 the Pride invaded West Lafayette, IN to take on a very strong Boilermakers side.
It was domination from kick off for the Pride as it took control of possession and momentum. The Pride was unable to find a go ahead goal in the first half.
It was not until early in the second half when senior midfielder Tiffany Yovino cracked junior forward Laura Greene’s cross off the left post and in, did the Pride take the lead.
With a 1-0 lead over a dangerous Purdue side, Hofstra did not let up on the offensive pressure. In the sixty-sixth minute, senior forward Salma Tarik doubled the Pride’s lead when she perfectly placed a low drive into the bottom right corner of the net from inside the box.
Just five minutes later, Tarik found her second goal of the match extending the lead to 3-0 with just twenty minutes remaining. The goal was a landmark for the senior, as she became just the sixth player in program history to score twenty goals for the Pride.
Purdue got a consolation goal in the seventy-eighth minute to score the last goal of the match that saw a very impressive start to Hofstra’s Midwest trip.
The second and final leg of their road trip weaved Hofstra through the state of Indiana and into Bloomington to take on another perennial powerhouse, Indiana University two days later.
In just the second minute against Purdue, senior defender Dana Bergstrom’s corner kick was deflected by junior midfielder Courtney Breen and fell to the feet of junior midfielder Brittany Butts. She finished her shot with ease and achieved her first career goal for the Pride.
Hofstra was able to grab some insurance just twenty-two minutes later when Greene took on the Indiana defense by herself and finished beautifully from a sharp angle for her second goal of the season.
The way things have been going, the game would not have been a total success if Tarik was not able to get on the score sheet, but in the seventy-second minute she gave Hofstra a three goal lead, slotting the twenty-fourth goal of her career, her twenty-first at Hofstra.
Once again though, the Pride gave up another late consolation goal with just nine minutes remaining.
The final whistle blew ending an astonishing weekend for the Pride as they swept two Big 10 opponents. Though these wins may be surprising to any member of Hofstra Nation, it seems to be the man most surprised was head coach Simon Riddiough. “This weekend was beyond anyone’s expectations,” said Riddiough. “To go to the Midwest and take on two traditional powerhouses like Indiana and Purdue and come away with two wins is unbelievable.”
Senior forward Kayla Pifer (13) on the attack. (Sean M. Gates/ The Chronicle)
