Hofstra kicks off conference play with a bang with 6-0 victory over Towson

It was a blowout for the ages on Thursday, Sept. 20, when the Hofstra women’s soccer team began Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play with a 6-0 victory over the Towson University Tigers. The team broke their record for most goals scored in a CAA match since joining the league in 2002.

Hofstra’s win was fueled by an incredible performance from sophomore Lucy Porter. After scoring the only goal of the game in their previous contest against Stony Brook University, Porter exploded for a hat trick to bury the Tigers. The remaining goals were scored by Lucy Shepherd, Sabrina Bryan and Jenn Buoncore.

The Pride maintained control of the game the whole way through as they outplayed their CAA rivals for all 90 minutes.

The squad finished the game with 15 shots on goal to Towson’s seven, displaying an even more aggressive style of play than they had against Stony Brook the Sunday before.

“It’s a different type of feeling,” said Hofstra head coach Simon Riddiough. “It’s a Thursday night game instead of a Sunday, it’s 70 degrees instead of 90. Those sorts of things make a huge difference in the psyche of the team.”

Porter got the Pride going 15 minutes into the contest with a goal coming off a cross from Monique Iannella.

Shepherd extended the lead at the 24-minute mark, and soon after Iannella earned yet another assist as she set up Bryan to score.

Porter closed out the first half with a header to put the Pride up by four goals, and she would complete the elusive hat trick with 20 minutes remaining in the second half.

The final goal of the game was scored when Buoncore buried a penalty kick into the bottom left side of the net.

Hofstra dominated the stat sheet, taking a season-high 25 shots while only allowing Towson 11. They also finished with seven corner kicks to Towson’s two.

Equally as impressive as the team’s play on offense was their effort on defense.

Jenna Borresen racked up two saves as goalkeeper in the first half, and Ashley Wilson played spectacularly in the second with five saves of her own as the duo combined to shutout the Tigers.

Of her five saves, Wilson made an incredible four of them within the first 10 minutes of subbing in, keeping the Pride’s lead from the first half intact.

With the decisive victory in their league opener, the squad is looking to carry this momentum into their forthcoming CAA matches.

“We’re very happy because of the Towson game, as goals has been a massive thing we have worked on in training,” said freshman midfielder Miri Taylor, who had a crucial assist in the contest. “We’re confident, but aware that we can’t afford any complacency, as Towson was just one game of the season.”

The Pride now stand at seven wins and three losses as they look to extend their three-game win streak in upcoming CAA matchups.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics