The Hofstra Pride field hockey team dropped their second straight game and fourth of the season on Sunday, Sept. 12. Hofstra alternated wins in their first four games, three of which were in front of a home crowd at Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium. This was the field hockey team’s first road trip of the season to face the University of Massachusetts Lowell and it returns empty-handed.
Not even five minutes into the game, the River Hawks lit the lamp off a penalty corner goal tallied by senior defender Lara Ansaldi. It was her third of the season and her second straight after scoring in a 4-0 win over Boston College. Eager to tie up the game, the Pride pushed back in the second, outshooting the River Hawks 4-1. The third quarter put Hofstra’s penalty corner team to the test with three chances compared to UMass Lowell’s zero. Neither team found the back of the net and UMass Lowell walked away with a 1-0 win.
“Hofstra brought their best performance at us and I don’t think we gave our best performance,” said River Hawks head coach Shannon LeBlanc. “There are some details that we could have better executed today.”
LeBlanc can thank a concrete defensive effort that allowed only five shots through on 13 attempts taken by Hofstra. River Hawks sophomore goalie Eleonore Boekhorst did not budge as she stopped all five shots that got through. It was Boekhorst’s third shutout of the season.
Pride goalie Merlijn van der Vegt started her 34th straight game and made nine saves. van der Vegt currently sits second in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in goals against average, allowing an average of 1.83 goals per game. Additionally, Merlijn is second in the CAA save percentage with a .756, trailing only Towson University’s Lena Vandam who possesses an .815 save percentage.
Hofstra is currently third in the CAA standings trailing the Delaware Blue Hens (2-4) and the James Madison Dukes (3-3). The Pride field hockey team will next play in front of a home crowd on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 3 p.m. against the 1-3 Long Island University Sharks.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
