The Hofstra Pride earned a ticket to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championship with a 4-2 win over the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks on Thursday, April 15. Hofstra’s three goals in the first half established a lead to hold off the defending champions.
Hofstra got on the attack from the kickoff with two corner kicks in the first two minutes. With 2:45 off the clock Storm Strongin’s cross found the head of junior captain Luca Tausch, but it was saved away by the Seahawks’ keeper Gabriel Perrotta. The ball trickled out to the Pride’s other captain George O’Malley, who needed two chances to find the back of the net and secure the 1-0 advantage.
The lead swelled to three goals before the 30th minute for Hofstra as Hendrik Hebbeker finished off an impressive solo effort goal from the left wing, and Strongin put away a rebound off the saved shot of Matthew Vowinkel.
The Seahawks threatened to score several times in the opening half, but Hofstra’s d-line and freshman goalkeeper Wessel Speel stifled the initial attacks. The biggest save came in the 16th minute of the match when Jalen Anderson was wide open in the box off a cross from the right wing, but Speel parried away the point-blank shot over the crossbar.
Hofstra took the clean sheet into the second half along with an 11-8 shot advantage. Anderson, UNCW’s main attacking threat, could not beat the Pride defense with his three shots. The Seahawks keeper collected six of his 12 saves in the first 45 minutes to keep the match within three.
The beginning of the second half went exactly how the Pride wanted it to go with limited action on both sides of the pitch. The Seahawks offense put on the pressure in the 69th minute with a goal from sophomore forward Parker Norris. UNCW quickly cut the deficit to one after senior Jacob Evans converted a cross in the 72nd minute.
The Pride clamped down on both sides to close out the second half. Two of the Seahawks’ final three shots were blocked before they got to the net, and Speel managed to save the third. In the last 15 minutes the Pride attempted four shots on goal, the last of which proved to be the deciding goal. Vowinkel, Hofstra’s leading goal scorer, delivered a missile to the back of the Seahawks net from 25 yards out in the 88th minute.
The Pride’s win was a bit of vengeance against their North Carolina foe from the last time the two squads met. UNCW came to Hempstead and won early in the first period of extra time off a corner kick.
Hofstra will face James Madison University for the third year in a row in the CAA tournament, and the second time in the finals. Hofstra has the series advantage with a 12-10-4 record, but JMU has won the last four matches. The championship is set for Saturday, April 17.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
