On a hot day in the city of Providence, Rhode Island, it took longer than the regulation time to decide on a winner between the Hofstra field hockey team and the Bryant University Bulldogs. It was Cami Larsson’s shootout goal that put the Pride on top, 3-2, in a grueling battle between the two teams on Friday Sept. 20.
Larsson also scored twice during regulation for the Pride, while the Bulldogs received their regulation goals from freshman Isa Oldekamp and sophomore Eva Bazen.
The win is the Pride’s third in a row after starting the season 0-4.
The Pride got off to their fastest start of the year, with Larsson giving the Pride a 1-0 lead just 30 seconds into the game off of a pass from Madison Warfel. The goal was Larsson’s first non-penalty tally of the season.
The Bulldogs evened things up in the second quarter, with Oldekamp getting one past the Pride’s goalie, Merlijn van der Vegt.
Fortunately for the Pride, they bounced back almost immediately, as Larsson connected off a pass from freshman Mercedes Currie to put the Pride back up 2-1. The assist was the first of Currie’s career.
Much like the first time the Pride gained the lead, the Bulldogs answered quickly, tying the game at two with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter.
After four total goals within the first three quarters, both defenses stepped up, as neither team scored for the remainder of game – including the two overtime periods.
After recording 11 shots between both teams in the first three quarters, the defenses allowed only five shots in the fourth quarter and forced two overtime periods.
The shootout periods continued the theme of even play in this game, as the Pride and the Bulldogs tied the first shootout round, 2-2. Frankie O’Brien and Larsson provided the goals for the Pride.
Down 2-1 in the shootout round, Larsson had to reach into her bag of tricks to keep the Pride in the game. When charging the goalie, Larsson lifted the ball over the goalie in an aerial shot to send the game into the sudden-death portion of the shootout.
As if she hadn’t already come in clutch enough, Larsson capped off her day with a game-winner. It was the fourth time she found the net in total: twice in regulation and twice in the shootout period.
Her four goals now rank third in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), tied with Drexel University sophomore Puk Thewessen.
No good defense is complete without solid goalkeeping, and van der Vegt delivered yet again. The reigning CAA Rookie of the Week built off of her already impressive season, recording five saves. In her five starts this season, the Pride have a 3-2 record. The five saves bring her season total to 39, giving her the CAA lead over Towson University freshman Tess Okkerse, who has 38.
Image courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
