For the second time in back-to-back games, the Hofstra Pride field hockey team was held scoreless in an 8-0 loss to Rutgers University at the Bauer Track and Field Complex on Friday afternoon, Aug. 31.
Hofstra fell to 1-2 on the young season while Rutgers, who finished 2017 ranked No. 23 in the country, improved to 2-0.
Freshman goalie Betty Bosma saved 18 of the 26 shots she faced, tying her game high this season. However, the keeper’s career day was not enough to stop the Knights’ high-powered offense.
Rutgers began knocking on the door early with two unanswered shots by Kassidy Shetler in the first five minutes of action.
The Knights drew first blood in the 13th minute as Tayla Parkes tallied her first goal of the season off a rebound from Gracey Butsack.
Seven minutes later Rutgers added to its lead after a long pass by Daphne Groothuis was deflected by Bosma and put in the back of the net by Alanna Gollotto.
Empty opportunities ensued for Rutgers until Groothuis capitalized on a penalty stroke to give the Knights a three-goal lead before the half.
The Pride went into the locker room trailing 3-0 without tallying a single shot in the first 35 minutes of action.
The Knights picked up where they left off after intermission by finding the net within four minutes of the start of the second half.
Austyn Cuneo sent a Kerrie Burns assist past Bosma for Rutgers to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
Shetler joined the scoring parade with a goal of her own in the 44th minute of play to give the Knights a five-goal lead.
Gollotto then put the game out of reach for the Pride with her second goal of the game, shortly followed by a Noelle Bessette goal that stretched the lead to 7-0.
With 30 left in regulation, Cuneo put the cherry on top notching the eighth Scarlet Knight goal of the match.
Rutgers finished with 36 total shots as the Knights disruptive defense kept the Pride off the stat sheet.
Bosma now ranks No. 1 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and third in Division I in saves per game.
Hofstra travels to So Sweet A Cat field on Sunday, Sept. 2 to face Monmouth University in a 1 p.m. showdown.
Image courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
