The Hofstra men’s soccer team picked up its first victory of the season on Sunday, Feb. 28, over the Stony Brook University Seawolves at the Hofstra Soccer Stadium. Four different members of the Pride found the back of the net in the 4-1 win.

The Pride’s upperclassmen had no trouble putting points on the board, as goals were scored by seniors Matthew Vowinkel and Jack Nuttall along with juniors Luca Tausch and Joe Wright, with Wright and Nuttall both earning their first career goals.

Wright’s goal opened the scoring in the match, as he took advantage of Stony Brook goalkeeper Edmond Kaiser’s misplacement to score off of a cross from Storm Strongin 12 minutes into play. The Pride’s lead was improved to 2-0 at the 40:33 mark when Jack Nuttall sent a free kick to the bottom left corner of the net, bouncing over Kaiser and in for the goal.

The Seawolves’ halftime move of sending Curtis Copenhaver in as goalkeeper did not prove fruitful. 4:25 into the second half of play, Tausch capitalized on a setup pass from the other side of the box by Hendrik Hebbeker to score. George O’Malley was also credited with an assist for a long pass from midfield that found Hebbeker in just the right spot.

Stony Brook’s Aki Solvason scored the team’s lone goal of the day with 2:48 left to play, but his score was quickly answered by the Pride. With just over a minute and a half remaining, Stefan Mason sent his free kick into the box, where Vowinkel put a head on it to send it up and out of Copenhaver’s reach for the Pride’s fourth goal.

In goal for the Pride, freshman Wessel Speel earned his first win and completed his first match with multiple saves, collecting two attempts from the Seawolves while allowing one goal. 

After the win, the Pride saw their record improve to 1-1 for the season.

Photo courtesy of Adam Flash/The Hofstra Chronicle