The thrill of victory. Every athlete craves it, giving their all to achieve the ultimate goal. For the four Hofstra fall sports teams, the thrill of victory has been plentiful this season.
Women’s soccer, men’s soccer, field hockey and volleyball all have one common denominator. Each squad has managed preseason expectations, adding to the already impressive resume of Hofstra fall sports.
It all starts with the women’s soccer team. The Pride was tabbed to three-peat as Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) champions in preseason polls. This continued a narrative of success that includes 15 CAA women’s soccer tournament berths, a dynasty unmatched on this campus.
With expectations sky-high, the Pride has delivered. Hofstra is on an 11-game unbeaten streak, clocking in at 11-3-2 overall. Most importantly, they have stepped up when the games matter most, notching a 5-0-2 CAA record.
Hofstra is undefeated in front of their home crowd as well, performing at a 6-0-1 mark at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
Led by juniors Sabrina Bryan and Lucy Porter, this team is the real deal. The CAA tournament is just around the corner, and there is no reason to believe this team will slow down.
Following the women’s soccer team’s footsteps, the volleyball team has quietly gone to work this season. Coming into the year, the conference’s nine volleyball head coaches voted Hofstra the second-best team in the CAA. Another fall sport team, another forecast of victory ahead.
Their slate has been sprinkled with marquee victories over difficult opposition.
Hofstra made quick work of the University of Delaware on Friday, Oct. 18, winning the match in straight sets, 25-20, 25-18, 28-26. Senior Luisa Sydlik surpassed 4,000 career assists in the victory, becoming the fourth player in program history to reach the mark.
Sydlik is not alone. CAA Preseason Player of the Year Laura Masciullo has led the team in kills in 17 matches, tallying 288 total on the season. Last year, she was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-East Region and the Google Cloud All-District First Team, and she is entering her stride once again.
A team can have all the talent, but a coach must lead them to the Promised Land.
And the volleyball team has one of the best.
Head coach Emily Mansur was named 2018 CAA Coach of the Year, an award that does not even begin to chronicle her impact on this program. National tournaments, huge victories and milestone moments have defined her career, all of which have taken place right here on Long Island.
Since Mansur has taken over head coaching responsibilities, the David S. Mack Physical Education Center has emerged as one of the most daunting arenas in the country. The Pride’s 56-14 home record during Mansur’s tenure is nothing to scoff at, and with the CAA Tournament coming to Hempstead, the future is bright on the court.
But for the men’s soccer team, the future seemed bleak at the start of the year after losing star midfielder Luke Brown to the reigning NCAA-champion Maryland Terrapins and defenseman Sean Nealis to the New York Red Bulls. Brown ranked second on the Pride in goals and points last season, while Nealis earned CAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2018.
Entering the year, the Pride was ranked third in the preseason poll following a second-place finish in the 2018 CAA Tournament. They currently sit in third place, but still have four games remaining on the docket, all at home, where they are 3-2-0 this year.
With a strong finish, the Pride can give themselves an opportunity for redemption in postseason play. Hofstra lost to James Madison University in last year’s CAA Championship game on penalty kicks, just missing out on an NCAA Tournament berth.
Building off that heartbreaking loss, one of Hofstra’s most underrated teams can turn heads and find themselves battling for glory on the national stage.
The field hockey team may be on the outside looking in, but they are also exceeding expectations in a quietly successful campaign.
Last year’s head coach, Kathy De Angelis, left a massive hole to fill when she stepped down at the end of the season, but current head coach Courtney Veinotte has been the savior the team needed.
The first-time head coach understandably had some learning curves, but won four out of five games after dropping her first four. Life is a journey, not a destination, and Veniotte is slowly finding her groove behind the bench.
Freshman goalie Merlijn van der Vegt is helping her first-year head coach, giving Veinotte a cornerstone to build around. The team had to overcome underwhelming preseason expectations, as the Pride were projected to finish second-to-last in the CAA before the season.
Hofstra’s six wins are tied for fourth in the conference, another impressive feat for a young and emerging team.
No matter the fall sport, Hofstra has cultivated a winning environment on campus. Postseason play is just around the corner, and the Pride have hefty expectations.
The thrill of victory is commonplace for Hofstra fall athletes.
Now, it is time to bring home the hardware.
Images courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
Graphic courtesy of David Lazar
