The Hofstra University men’s soccer team defeated the Providence College Friars in a six-goal thriller at Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium in Providence, Rhode Island, on Friday, Sept. 1. The Pride advanced to 2-1 and got their first road win of the season.
It only took 16 seconds for Hofstra to take the lead, as forward Teddy Baker recorded his first goal in a Hofstra shirt. Baker cut inside the 18-yard area before ripping a strike into the far top-right corner past a helpless Lukas Burns, the Providence goalkeeper. He wasn’t the only one to open his account on Friday night.
Midfielder Albert Kang found Hofstra’s second goal just past the 20-minute mark. A cross on the right side from Eoin Farrell reached the far-side for his fellow midfielder. Kang, the former Loyola University Maryland player who Nuttall spoke highly of before the start of the season, headed it in from the edge of the six-yard area.
Striker Ryan Carmichael had a busy night for the Pride. He essentially put the game beyond reach in the 86th minute after out-running two Providence defenders before slotting it past Burns and into the far corner. Carmichael had five shot attempts, the most out of any Hofstra player. He became the first player on the roster to score two or more goals this early in the season. He also provided the assist for Baker inside the first minute.
The Friars threatened Hofstra’s quick start with a goal from Pearse O’Brien in the 35th minute. It was Providence’s first shot-on-goal in 11 attempts leading up to the freshman’s first goal of the season. The home side used their momentum to find the equalizer only 89 seconds into the second half, the goal courtesy of senior Nathan Messer.
However, the Friars gave the advantage right back to the Pride with an own goal roughly two-and-a-half minutes later. Hofstra’s side never looked back and secured the 4-2 victory.
Providence outranked Hofstra 22-13 in total shots but only had three shots-on-goal, five fewer than the Pride. The final stat line for Hofstra was contradictory compared to their 1-0 loss at the hands of Fairleigh Dickinson University earlier in the week. Unlike their previous match, they didn’t put up nearly triple the number of shots or double the number of shots-on-goal as their opponents. Instead, they attacked fewer times and saw greater results.
Their key to victory was efficiency in attack, something they lacked mostly in their previous two games. After only producing one goal in 180 minutes, they racked up four goals in the span of 90 minutes. The only thing that seemed to be missing heading into their third match was their ability to put the ball in the back of the net. Whether it was something they found in practice or the clearing of any early-season rust, Hofstra will look to prove that this wasn’t a one-time deal.
The Pride will get that chance as they travel back to Long Island for a stretch of home games, their first being against the University of Pennsylvania on Monday, Sept. 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Keith Nordstrom
