A strong effort for the Hofstra University women’s basketball team was not enough to get the win at home on Sunday, Jan. 21. The Pride lost 55-54 to the Elon University Phoenix for a frustrating fourth straight loss.
The loss dropped Hofstra’s record to 7-9 on the season and a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) record of 1-4. Elon is now 7-12 overall and 3-3 in CAA play. The Phoenix now lead the all-time series 15-4.
“One of the things we talked about before this game was our urgency, our toughness and our fight,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. “Early on in the game, we got ourselves in a hole. This is something we have to get better from.”
Elon had a 12-11 lead at the start of the second quarter and went on a 7-0 run that helped boost their momentum. After a Hofstra 3-pointer from Emma Von Essen, the Phoenix went on an 11-2 run for the last 5:46 to end the half.
Down 31-20, the Pride scored another six points to tighten the score, but two jumpers and a 3-pointer for the visitors made it a 10-point deficit for the home team. After Brooke Anya hit a layup in the paint, Elon went on another two-minute, 17-second run in which they outscored the Pride 9-0.
Aly Wadkovsky hit a 3-pointer for the Phoenix to make it 51-33, but Hofstra had a four-point run to end the quarter, thanks to free throws from Sorelle Ineza and Tionna Baker.
Now behind 51-37, the Pride needed a miracle to get back in the game. Three treys from Von Essen plus a fast break layup from Selma Markisic that all went unanswered got Hofstra back on track.
“It’s something [this team] has in them,” Santos said. “And I wanted to tell them that they had it in them from the very start. We’ve always talked that this team will work hard, they have a willingness to work hard and now raising that expectation that they have of themselves to do that all the time.”
Elon’s lead shrank in a snap, only up one point. But Ajia James committed a foul which sent Zyheima Swint to the charity stripe. Swint made both free throws, giving the Pride their first lead of the contest.
Hofstra tried to extend the lead, but Ally Knights missed a jumper to make it a three-point advantage. Iycez Adams capitalized on the other end, recovering the lead for Elon.
Tied 54-54, the game looked destined to go to overtime, but Baker fouled Adams on a fast break with one second to go. She hit the free throw to seal the win for Elon.
“To see [this team] put together stops and scores was something we can grow from and build on,” Santos said. “But defensively, we’re continuing to hold teams in the 50s and below. Their scoring average at times is below and their shooting average at times is below. We’re willing to defend; it’s about the conversion on the other end.”
Hofstra went 41.7% from 3-point land while holding Elon to 27.8% from that area of the court.
Von Essen scored 23 points, which is the most a Hofstra player has scored this year against an opponent in Division I. Markisic also had a respectable 13 points.
Hofstra looks to end this losing streak as they travel down to Williamsburg, Virginia, to take on the College of William & Mary. Tip-off against the Tribe is on Friday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Alexis Friedman
