The Hofstra University men’s soccer team won its eighth Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) title on Saturday, Nov. 16. The fourth-seeded Pride defeated sixth-seeded UNC-Wilmington 1-0 in the CAA Championship Game to become the first team to win four consecutive titles in conference history.
“I thought it was deserved,” said Hofstra head coach Richard Nuttall. “UNCW have done brilliantly, but they had a certain way, and I just thought we did well against that system. We kept getting at them and eventually got our just desserts.”
The winner arrived in the 81st minute as a long ball from Hofstra defender Pierce Infuso was steered goalward by UNCW defender Josef Hefele. It was meant as a pass to goalkeeper Trey Smiley, who was well off his mark. The ball fell into the right corner of the net, much to the excitement of the home players and fans alike.
Hefele was shown a red card in the 89th minute after a foul committed on the edge of the penalty area, adding a numerical disadvantage in the final moments. Smiley, whose first appearance of the season was against the Pride on Sept. 14, made seven saves to keep his team in the match.
“[Smiley] had almost a career night,” Nuttall said. “He made four outstanding saves. Fundamentally, he’s quick and he’s out there … easily [UNCW’s] man of the match.”
Two of those saves denied Hofstra midfielder Laurie Goddard, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player for his three goals. Goddard, a transfer from Merrimack College, was also named NCAA National Player of the Week just days before the match.
“[UNCW] were defending really well,” Goddard said. “I did get those chances. [Smiley] was so quick off his line to shut down that angle and made it hard for me to get an angle to shoot.”
A late twist led to celebrations on and off the pitch, capping off a tournament run that included a road victory over top-seeded Elon University. Nuttall’s side turned it up a notch in the playoffs after three away defeats to conference opponents during the regular season.
“It shows the quality,” Nuttall said. “It’s about being mentally strong and rebounding. As a coaching staff, our mentality helps these people flow under the cap of what we’re producing.”
Hofstra’s victory also marked Nuttall’s 350th all-time victory with the program. It was the fifth straight appearance in the championship game for Roc Carles and Infuso, as they were named to the All-CAA Championship team alongside Jacob Woznicki and Goddard.
“I had no idea [about the milestone],” Nuttall said. “All I care about is the next game. Maybe when I’m on my couch, smoking a pipe, I’ll reflect. It’s irrelevant to me now.”
The Pride outranked the Seahawks 13-5 in total shots and 7-2 in shots-on-target. Goalkeeper Filippo Dadone’s two saves earned him his ninth shutout of the season.
With the victory, the Pride automatically qualified for their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament. It will be their ninth all-time appearance.
“It just lifts the place,” Nuttall said. “I’m proud of what we do, who we are and our character as a group. We hope we’ve been a joy to a lot of people. We’ve got to enjoy this now, but we’ve also got another game to play.”
Hofstra’s first-round opponent will be announced on Monday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com
Photos courtesy of Amelia Bashy and Ethan Albin
