By Marco Meglio -- STAFF WRITER The Hofstra women’s soccer team opened Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference play with a 2-0 win over the University of Delaware, giving the Pride their second consecutive win and third win in the past four games.
With the win, the Pride move to 5-3-2 on the season. Hofstra started the season out rough, going 0-2-1, but they have since turned it around going 5-1-1. This was the fourth consecutive shutout for Hofstra, the first time accomplishing that feat since 2010.
Senior defender Rhian Cleverly got the Pride going in the 40th minute when she launched a free kick that bent around the defense for Hofstra’s first goal of the game. Cleverly played in 57 career games before finally notching her first collegiate goal.
Statistically, the teams did not differentiate much, as Hofstra and Delaware each registered eight total shots and four on goal. In addition, both teams tallied two corners each and saved four shots.
Hofstra extended its lead in the 63rd minute when junior forward Jenn Buoncore netted her second goal of the season off a turnover in the opponent’s box.
The Pride did not look back from that point on, closing out Delaware for the shutout.
Hofstra once again stood tall in net with goalkeepers Jenna Borresen and Ashley Wilson combined for the shutout, each making two saves. In her five games of the season, Borresen has played 301 minutes, recorded nine saves and has not allowed a single goal.
As for Wilson, since giving up three goals in the loss to Yale on Sept. 4, she has bounced back playing in two games and not allowing a single goal since.
With the loss, Delaware moves to 3-5-2 on the season. The Blue Hens have now lost three of their last four and currently sit second to last in CAA standings, only ahead of the struggling College of William & Mary who has lost six straight.
The Pride’s shutout marks the fourth time this season that Delaware has failed to register a goal. The Blue Hens currently have nine goals total through their first nine games.
The Hofstra women’s soccer team will come home looking to remain hot, taking on the University of North Carolina at Wilmington on Sunday afternoon at the Hofstra Soccer Stadium.