The Hofstra University field hockey team continued their winning streak as the defeated Long Island University (LIU) 3-2 at Cindy Lewis Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 15. The win improved the Pride’s record to 2-3 on the season ahead of conference play next week. Hofstra remains undefeated against LIU in five regular season matches.
Teresa Karoff continued to impress, recording her second three-point game of the season with a goal and an assist. Kesia Richardson and Isabella Tassara scored their first career goals in the win.
“It was a well-fought win,” said Hofstra head coach Hillary Fitts. “We were very fatigued after double overtime and shootout on Friday, but this win was all about digging deep and sticking together as a group.”
Hofstra and LIU opened the game in a largely uneventful first quarter where the Sharks got the only shot on goal, which Pieke Roos turned away with relative ease off a corner.
Hofstra came out swinging in the second half, outworking LIU and forcing them into costly mistakes. The Pride earned three penalty corners in a row by keeping strong forechecks and forcing the Sharks into taking fouls. On the third corner of the offensive sequence, Richardson eventually settled the inbound from Karoff and launched it past LIU’s goaltender.
The goal was contested by the referees and reviewed but ultimately stood. Hofstra sat on a 1-0 lead after 30 minutes of play.
The third quarter featured back-and-forth action on both nets. Twenty-five seconds into the second half, Pilar Peñaloza drew two LIU defenders to her, leaving a wide-open Jamie Lewis on the far side of the cage. Lewis wasted no time redirecting the shot into the net to give the Pride what seemed like a two-goal advantage. Ultimately, the referees reviewed the play and called back the goal.
The only opportunity for LIU went in the back of the net. Micaela Skibski tied the game for the Sharks at one about halfway through the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Tara McNally performed a stretch pass to a breaking Karoff, who had several defenders on her. Upon entering the circle, she unloaded on a screened shot that went between Fleur Hofman’s legs, restoring the Pride’s lead.
“[Karoff’s] a very, very versatile player,” Fitts said. “She’s realizing the moments she can take over a game when she needs to.”
Karoff scored her team-leading third goal of the season in the fourth quarter.
With four minutes left, Heather Canavan committed a stick-on-stick infraction resulting in a LIU free hit and player-up opportunity. With Hofstra already being a player down, the Sharks pulled their goalie in hopes of overwhelming the Pride defense.
On the inbound, the Sharks passed the ball right to Tassara who went down the length of the field with LIU defenders chasing her. All Hoffman could do was watch from the sideline when Tassara tapped the ball into the empty net, giving the Pride an insurance goal late in the fourth quarter. LIU’s Gigi Ranoldo responded 90 seconds later to bring the lead back to one.
Tassara’s goal ended up being the game-winner, with Hofstra winning their first game ever at Cindy Lewis Stadium.
The Pride are back in action on Friday, Sept. 20, when Monmouth University comes to Hempstead. The first game of conference play for the Pride begins at 3 p.m.
Photos courtesy of Julia Boesch
Photos courtesy of Royce Dickson-Child
