On Thursday, Aug. 17, the Hofstra University women’s soccer team traveled upstate to the Bob Ford Field in Albany, New York, to kick off the 2023 season, falling 2-1 to the University at Albany Great Danes.

The Pride begins their season 0-1 despite an early goal from midfielder Aimee Hodgson. Hodgson’s opening goal came just 49 seconds into the matchup, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the persistent attacks brought on by the Great Danes. She was taken down in the box, resulting in a penalty kick which she buried into the left half of the net while sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. Hofstra held their lead until the second half when Albany took over the game.

In the 49th minute, the Great Danes tied the score. Forward Emily Jozak muscled her defender off the ball and was in a one versus one situation with Hofstra’s goalkeeper, Mackenzie Sullivan. Jozak easily got around Sullivan, who was off her line, to slot the ball in the back of the net for the tying goal.

To secure the win, Albany finished off the Pride with a goal from a corner kick in the 70th minute. The Great Danes sent a dangerous corner kick into the box, almost teasing Sullivan to come off her line to collect the ball. Sullivan stayed, but as the ball came to the ground, it bounced off of a Hofstra player and went right in the path of a wide-open Charlotte Takacsy. Takacsy took one strike to rocket the ball home and give Albany the 2-1 lead.

The Pride made some final attempts at the goal, but Albany goalkeeper Megan Hart kept the ball out of the net as she made save after save, leading to a 2-1 loss for Hofstra.

Despite the outcome, the Pride held an advantage in the first half on the offensive front as they outshot Albany 8-6. Both goalkeepers came up big for their sides as Sullivan recorded four saves and Hart recorded five in the opening 45 minutes alone.

Hofstra finished the match with 12 shots on goal while Albany had seven. Forward Margaret Peterson led the team in shots on goal with five, and midfielders Wiktoria Fronc and Hodgson had two each. In the whole 90 minutes, Sullivan finished with five total saves and Hart finished with 11.

The Pride continues their away game stretch as they travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, on Sunday, Aug. 20, to face Rutgers University at 7 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics