Defense sparkled once again for the Hofstra Pride field hockey team in a 4-1 victory over Lafayette on Monday. After a 17-save outing from goalkeeper Lauren Saltus against Rider in the team’s previous outing, she again held the opponent to just one score in Hempstead.
“I think what is really important is you can see the confidence emerge,” said Hofstra head coach Kathy De Angelis of her goalkeeper. “Not just in her, but in the players around her. When that starts to happen, you see a lot of things start to click on defense and our defensive structure can be a lot more sound when the goalkeeper is working very closely with the back line players.”
The Leopards, known as a defensive force, came into the contest having allowed three or fewer goals to every opponent on the season. But it was the Hofstra defense that stole the show. The Pride held the Leopards to just two shots in the first half and ten in total.
On offense, Hofstra pressured Lafayette relentlessly. The Pride forced turnovers and played the possession game, forcing the ball into Leopards territory and wearing out the Leopards’ deep lineup. The Pride forced eight penalty corners over the course of the contest, which fueled the team’s offense.
“Our specialty teams and this unit are doing a great job,” said De Angelis of the penalty corners. “I think we still have a lot of room to grow, but to really see the execution in the last few games, certainly two corners in two goals in the last game, and then to have that type of execution as you said, it’s not just on the initial corner, but it’s the rebounding and jumping to loose balls, it’s the little things that we’ve been really stressing in practices.”
The four goals against Lafayette are the most a team has scored against the Leopards in a game this season. It is also only the team’s second loss as the Leopards fall to 5-2 on the season.
Hofstra moves up to 4-4 this year with the win. The Pride next plays Friday on the road against UMass-Lowell.
“I think you can just see we’re really starting to click,” said De Angelis. “There’s a lot of chemistry going on and we are gelling. It’s been a process but we’re getting there and although we’re not where we need to be, we’re moving in the right direction.”