Mike Rudin – Sports Editor Mirroring the men’s team, Hofstra women’s basketball fell to their first conference opponent after a 4-0 start in the Colonial Athletic Association play.
The Hofstra Pride fell to the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens 64-53 in their fifth CAA conference matchup to break Hofstra’s four game winning streak.
"We have to give Delaware credit for playing us very physical today," said head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey. "We just didn't play to our potential, we have to play better through adversity."
This is the second time the Pride lost a match in the last nine games, and Hofstra dropped to 11-5 on the year and 4-1 in the CAA. The Pride currently stand in second place in the CAA, only behind James Madison University -- the only team undefeated left in the conference -- who are 14-2 overall.
Hofstra has now lost to Delaware in eight consecutive matches as well as 11 of their last 12 meetings.
Hofstra committed 21 total fouls within the game, the second-highest amount in the 2014-15 season.
"The worst thing you can tell a kid is 'don't foul,'" said Kilburn-Steveskey on her game plan in the bonus. "They need a cushion step, they need to slide their feet, and see how the game is being called, and they know how to do all of that, so that is what you're focused on."
Kelly Loftus was the Pride’s leading scorer with 14 points, the only Pride player to reach double digits in points scored. Delaware’s Erika Brown and Courtni Green combined for 36 total points in the game, which was split right down the middle between the two Delaware athletes.
Ashunae Durant and Elo Edeferioka had a rough night scoring, each with just six points and combined shooting 5-for-20. Edeferioka especially struggled at 2-for-11.
Hofstra and Delaware’s offenses each struggled scoring in the opening minutes. The Pride went 2-of-11 in the first four minutes-and-25 seconds while the Blue Hens went 2-of-7 in the first five minutes-and-13 seconds.
Both teams then went toe-to-toe in the following ten minutes, going back-and-forth until the two teams were tied at 18 points apiece.
The Fightin’ Blue Hens started to gain traction with a 6-0 run in a span of slightly over two minutes to put Delaware up by six points. The Pride limited the damage by cutting the lead to a four-point deficit, 27-23 by halftime.
Loftus tried to keep the Pride alive in the game with nine points in the first half. Hofstra struggled playing clean with seven fouls -- Delaware had foul trouble as well with six -- in the first twenty minutes of regulation.
The second half showed some encouragement from the Pride’s side, but ultimately their efforts wouldn't be enough.
Hofstra went on a 7-2 run in the first four minutes-and-six seconds of the half, to give the Pride a momentarily lead. But Delaware retaliated with a 14-4 run of their own to retake the lead by seven points at the 11:38 mark.
Hofstra kept within range and tried to rally once more as they cut Delaware’s lead to three points with 8:18 remaining, thanks to a three-pointer by Luciano and Asia Jackson making a layup for a quick 5-0 run.
But Delaware bombarded the Pride with an 11-2 rally to maintain their lead within a five minute span to virtually put the game out of reach for the Pride.
With 2:51 left and Delaware leading by 12 points, Hofstra fought for any possible comeback but Delaware blocked any opportunities to maintain their double-digit lead, resulting in a 11-point lead for the final score.
"It's on us," said Kilburn-Steveskey. "It's on us as a collective group, as a coaching staff, all the way across [to do better]."
Hofstra finished the game shooting 2-of-13 in the final minutes, the lack of consistency and execution, along with the numerous amount of fouls committed, ultimately kept the Pride from a win.
The two teams committed a combined 26 fouls in the second half alone, while Hofstra was responsible for 14 of them. Each team reached the 10-foul mark with over five minutes left within the game.
Ashunae Durant led the Pride in rebounds with nine on the night. Darius Faulk led Hofstra with five assists before she was fouled-out at the end of the game.
Hofstra’s next conference matchup is against the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. back at the Mack Sports Complex.