By Joe Fay – STAFF WRITER
The Hofstra field hockey team had trouble getting their offense going against the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens on Friday afternoon, losing 4-2 and snapping their eight-game winning streak. Carissa Witmer and Stella Schoen found the back of the net for Pride.
The Fightin’ Blue Hens, who are ranked 13th in the nation, got off to a quick start, scoring their first goal just 6:57 into the game on a penalty corner. For most of the first half, Hofstra could not keep the ball in their offensive end as they had their hands full trying to slow down Delaware’s fast-paced offense.
The Hofstra defense was effective in slowing down Delaware’s fast break, a point of emphasis with head coach Kathy De Angelis. At halftime, The Pride trailed just 1-0 thanks to the determination of their defenders. The offense seemed less determined and did not manage to get a shot on goal until the final ten minutes of the half. They came alive at the end of the half and created some scoring chances but could not capitalize.
Just two minutes after halftime, Delaware padded their lead with a goal on a rebound to make the score 2-0. The Hofstra offense had carried over some momentum from their chances near the end of the first half and finally got on the board at 41:01 with a shot by Simca Schoen that was tipped in by Carissa Witmer, her first goal of the season.
After 15 minutes of back and forth, Delaware was able to strike again on a rebound at 57:20 to make the lead 3-1. The Pride still had some fight left in them, answering right back with Stella Schoen’s 11th goal of the season. With the lead cut to 3-2, Hofstra was still on the attack, fighting to tie the game up.
The offense was unable to convert some quality scoring chances, and at 64:16 Delaware put the nail in the coffin with their fourth goal off of their sixth penalty corner of the day. The pride continued to fight to no avail, as they watched their winning streak end at eight games.
Hofstra’s offense had their chances, as both teams ended the day with 10 shots on goal. Delaware made the most of their opportunities, while Hofstra couldn’t finish at the net. They had some promising offensive possessions, including a shot that the entire Hofstra sideline thought may have crossed into the goal before being saved. The Pride couldn’t catch a break though, as the referee said there was no goal on the play.
Coach De Angelis said that although her team needs to “do a better job to get the ball behind the net,” she was proud that they “fought till the end” against a strong Delaware team. With the loss, Hofstra fell to 10-4 on the season and 0-1 in conference play.
