The Hofstra University women’s basketball team lost its home opener to the University of Pennsylvania 67-55 to fall to 1-2 on the season. The Pride – dealing with injuries to key players – now sit at No. 8 in Coastal Athletic Association standings.
“Especially with [Chloe Sterling] out now, we have three point guards that usually play, and last game we had two of them out, so [Micaela Carter] had to play a ton of minutes in this past game,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. “Also today, [Sana’a Garrett] was probably about halfway, she wasn’t 100%.”
On top of the shortened guard rotation, graduate forward Sandra Magolico was out on injury. Coming into the game, she was leading the team in both points and rebounds. The Pride shifted its starting lineup by giving the nod to sophomore guard and forward Ema Karim. She finished her first career start with seven points and three rebounds.
The Pride’s two biggest issues were play on the boards and at the charity stripe. The program has built its identity on hard-nosed defense and dominance on the glass, but tonight they were outrebounded 32-28 – their lowest mark this season. At the line, the Pride attempted just six free-throws, with two coming before the tipoff and four in the fourth.
“This year, throughout our scrimmages, throughout our games, this team’s been able to get to the free-throw line a good bit so that’s something that we have to continue to do,” Santos said. “I didn’t think we attacked the paint with authority tonight.”
Hofstra settled for jumpers throughout the game due to their struggles in the paint. The Pride finished the game with just 14 points in the paint, when more than half of their total points in the first two games of the season came from that area. Magolico’s absence was felt all game, especially in the frontcourt.
“Our rebounding wasn’t where it could have been,” Santos said. “We knew we’d be short with [Magolico] out in that rebounding category but wanted somebody else to be able to step up and fill that void.”
In the first quarter, senior guard Emma Von Essen took sole possession of third all-time in Hofstra women’s basketball 3-pointers made, passing Nicole Capurso. Von Essen now has 211 3-pointers made and counting in her career.
“She’s in a great spot for us, playing with a lot of confidence,” Santos said. “Having her out there on the floor, she’s always a threat. She’s been a phenomenal leader for us as well this season.”
Alarice Gooden is continuing to leave her mark on this program in her senior season, averaging career highs in every statistical category. Three games in, she’s leading the team in assists and is second in points, field goals and 3-pointers.
“[Gooden] is doing a great job and what she’s doing is exactly what we expect of her,” Santos said. “She has been the standard for us in practice, just with her intensity, with her tempo [and] with her pace; she is setting that standard.”
The Pride will take on Bucknell University on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. in the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. Hofstra is 14-9 all-time against Bucknell and 59-70 against the Patriot League.
