By Anders Jorstad — STAFF WRITER
The Hofstra Pride men’s soccer team secured a 2-1 road victory against Binghamton University on Wednesday, Oct. 25 in a tune-up game thanks to some early offense and then lockdown defense down the stretch.
Offense has been a major point of weakness for the Pride this season, as the team is averaging just 0.81 goals per contest. That ranks second-to-last in the Colonial Athletic Association. The defensive unit has ultimately been the backbone of the team.
However, the Pride didn’t wait long to get the offense going against the Bearcats. On the Pride’s first offensive possession of the game, Sean Nealis connected just six minutes into the game after a pass from Mani Walcott.
The Pride wasn’t done there. On the very next offensive possession, Danny Elliott knocked in his third goal of the season to put Hofstra up 2-0.
Hofstra continued to pile on the pressure. The Pride had numerous offensive opportunities after those scores and kept Binghamton from getting close to the net.
Midway through the first half, the Pride substituted Leo Arkhanhelskyi from the goalie spot for Alex Ashton. Just minutes later, Haris Brkovic of the Bearcats netted an unassisted goal to pull his team to within a goal.
Hofstra’s defense stood tall throughout the remainder of the game, allowing the Bearcats to take just three shots in the second half.
The win is a terrific accomplishment for a team looking to start piling together wins in the conference tournament. The Pride’s four ties suggest that the Pride has had difficulties closing out gamess. To see the Pride display the ability to get the scoring started early and to maintain a one-goal lead defensively for over 50 minutes shows the resiliency the team possesses.
With the victory, Hofstra has now garnered wins in four of its last five games. The Pride has averaged two goals per game during that span.
The Pride has already punched its ticket to the CAA tournament thanks to a 3-1-4 record in conference play. Hofstra will finish the regular season at home when Brown University visits on Tuesday, Oct. 31. The CAA tournament will follow, with the Pride hosting the College of William & Mary in first round action at Hofstra Soccer Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 28.
