By Jean Pierre Guzhnay – STAFF WRITER
The Hofstra Pride has become serious title contenders after being ranked 18th in the nation registering an impressive 6-2 start to the season.
The Pride’s last season quarterfinal loss against James Madison University is all but a distant memory following one of the best starts to a campaign the program has seen. After the departure of forward Maid Memic, the 2014 senior who bagged an impressive 10 goals, questions arose on who would take the team’s offensive charge.
Yet, this season has been very different with numerous players having contributed to a dangerous Pride offense who managed so far 13 goals in eight games while registering 94 shot attempts. The Pride earlier in the season won a historic four straight wins tying their best season start in 13 years, with a 2-0 win over rivals St John’s earlier this month.
In an interview conducted over the weekend, regarding the new dynamics of the team compared to last season, Nuttall went in depth about the offensive status of the team.
“Maid [Memic] was somewhat of the focus of our attack last year. Now we are, I think, more balanced all around.”
“If we don’t hurt you one way, we’re going to hurt you another,hich is a sign of a quality team. I am comfortable with the guys we got. I think the experience is good. Without a doubt we are well balanced,” he said.
Another highlight of the season for the Pride has been Joseph Holland. The midfielder from England has been outstanding after scoring four goals while assisting another four in as many games. Holland has played a notable role in creating individual performances that have recorded important victories for the Pride this season like the penalty conversion in the 2-1 dramatic win over No. 15 Syracuse.
Whether it’s the second half lone goal that secured the 1-0 win over Army West Point, or the brace in the four-goal blowout against Vermont, Holland will continue to play an essential role in the team either by adding his name to the score sheet or dribbling past opponents to create chances for the team.
As the season unravels, Nuttall has often played down the notion of Holland being the focus of the team while noting other Pride players have contributed greatly to Holland’s exceptional form.
Earlier this season Nuttall praised his other players like Meshack Eshun Addy and Mani Walcott, who are also having a great season covering the field with pace and pushing the opposition back, giving more space for Holland to operate.
“I think [playing more] as a unit has been our strength,” said Nuttall.
“We’ve played well as a unit with a few bits of individual brilliance here and there. Meshack’s [long-range] goal or Joe’s magic or a couple of great finishes or a bit of excitement with [Patric] Pray making some saves. So I think the general idea is that the unit is … the reason why we are being successful,” he said.
After winning six games before falling to American University in a packed schedule, having played four games in nine days, the coach is optimistic about how his side will carry on the momentum after playing against big opponents.
“I think out of struggle comes excellence. When you struggle against these very good teams, which we have done, they’ve got us on the back foot a lot of the time. I think it propels your individuals forward and propelled the team forward.”
“It prepares you for the future,” he went on to say.
One of they key attributes for this start to the season has been that 16 players in the squad have now seen over 100 minutes of playing time, giving the team a healthy balance of both competitiveness and experience.
“It allows us to keep the tempo of games quite high. By when the subs come on there is not much difference, in fact no difference most of the time,” said Nuttall.
“And if someone’s having a bad day, I’ve got options. When I look at the bench and I can replace that person, it might be a great player having a bad day, you got to get him off and get someone in who can do the job,” he said.
One of the players that has become reliable for the Pride is Eshun Addy. The sophomore from Ghana has registered four goals and two assists in eight games. The midfielder, who is mostly utilized on the wings, has performed very well creating key scoring chances for the Pride this season.
Meshack’s ability to race down the flanks and beat defenders has been a major factor in the Pride’s attacking force. His skills and world-class individuality claimed Hofstra’s first conference victory this season in the 2-1 win against UNCW when he unleashed a power-volley blasting into the top left-hand corner, giving the Pride the winning goal.
But it’s not just the strikers and midfielders who have defined the Pride this season. In fact, the back line has been the heart of the team comprised of captain Daniel Grundei, who has seen 675 minutes on the pitch, while scoring a first goal for the Pride in the 2-1 win over UNCW.
While the back line has been consistent, it has been Pray who has been phenomenal thus far. The senior from Chandler, Arizona recorded his third shutout of the season against St. John’s while notching 35 saves in eight games.
“I think having Pat back there just gives confidence to everybody in the field,” said Coach Nuttall.
“Knowing that he is going to do well in goal. We know he’s reliable. His positioning is good, his handling is good. We are just very pleased to have him in goal and he keeps a great mindset knowing that he is in the backline.”
Even though the Pride has been playing well, Nuttall believes the team still has room for improvement if they are to be serious title contenders.
“It’s a continuing work-in-progress. We’ve got to work better on the ball, better individual defending, and do better in set pieces defensively and offensively,” says the coach.
When asked about this season’s chances of potentially winning the conference, Nuttall said, “There is no looking forward into a crystal ball and worrying about playoffs or anything. We are just trying to win the next game.”
Following a 3-0 defeat against Dartmouth College over the weekend, the Pride are looking to bounce back against the Drexel Dragons in a conference matchup on the road at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.
