By Alex Hyman, Staff Writer

The Hofstra University men’s soccer team proved to have a flair for the dramatics with two late game-winning goals that has turned its season around, winning three out of the last four games, including one on the road.

The Pride completed Hofstra’s homecoming weekend with a win over Colonial Athletic Association opponent UNC-Wilmington. With the beats of the Rick Ross concert blaring in the distance and the sky lit up with fireworks, senior forward Brett Carrington scored the game-winning goal in the eighty-seventh minute to give the Pride a 2-1 win. 

“The game was being played at a pedestrian level and I thought it needed some speed”, Carrington said after scoring his game winner.

“It’s massive”, said head coach Richard Nuttall on starting conference play off with a win. “Our conference is a very good conference and it’s just fun to be a part of.”

Fordham was next to visit the Hofstra Soccer Stadium two days later. Sophomore goalkeeper Roberto Pellegrini recorded his second shutout of the season on route to a 2-0 Pride win.

Carrington netted his third goal of the season and freshman defender Tommi Kjartansson scored the first goal of his Hofstra career.

To start the month of October, the Pride took its two-game winning streak on the road to Georgia State University to continue CAA play. Pellegrini once again kept the opposition off the scoreboard through regulation but the Pride offense could not net a goal.

Tied at zero heading into overtime, the Panthers’ Stephen McGill drew a penalty shot and delivered to give Georgia State a 1-0 overtime win over the Pride.

Freshman Maid Memic recorded the Pride’s only shot on goal.

Last night, the Pride took its 1-3 road record to Towson University looking to notch a very important conference road win.

“We gave up two soft goals early and had to turn it around”, said Nuttall.

Down 2-0 with less than ten minutes remaining, sophomore Chris Griebsch scored his second goal of the season on an unassisted goal to make it a 2-1 game.

Already a team that has thrived under pressure, the Pride waited until the last possible second to score the equalizer.

With the ball being knocked around the box, freshman striker Shady Saleh found sophomore defender Shaun Foster who headed the ball past the goal line with exactly one second remaining on the clock, forcing extra time.

In the second overtime period, Griebsch found junior midfielder Mike Annarumma streaking down the field who provided the game winner, finishing off a thrilling come-from-behind victory.

The Pride improves its record to 2-1 in CAA play and 5-4 overall.

“We’ve been playing with more confidence, better on both sides of the ball”, Nuttall said of his team’s recent play.

Pellegrini (1.33 Goals Against Average) has played “solid as a rock,” according to Nuttall. He has been able to keep the Pride in every game this season including a match saving save against Towson.

The Pride is back in action for back-to-back home games against Virginia Commonwealth University and Northeastern University on October 8 and 12 respectively.