Hofstra field hockey falls in season finale to Northeastern

In a do-or-die game for the Hofstra Pride field hockey team with Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament implications, the Northeastern University Huskies sent the Pride packing, defeating Hofstra 5-0 in Dedham, MA to end the Pride’s season on Friday, Oct. 29. 

Just over ten minutes into the game, the Huskies were awarded a penalty corner. They proved why they are second in the CAA by scoring on the penalty corner after Laren Rowe put home her tenth of the season. Northeastern was awarded their sixth penalty corner of the first quarter, capitalizing again to take a 2-0 lead thanks to redshirt Angela Connolly’s second of the season. It was the exact start Northeastern was looking for as Hofstra was held without a shot the entire quarter, compared to Northeastern’s nine.       

Just about five minutes later, the Huskies pulled further ahead as Mak Graves took a shot from the top of the circle to beat Merlijn van der Vegt for a 3-0 lead. Hofstra found their rhythm in this second frame, as the disparity in shots taken was significantly smaller than that of the first quarter, with Northeastern edging out the Pride 3-2. Both teams were awarded one penalty corner with no goals to show for. 

Trailing 3-0 after the first half of the game, Hofstra needed to stop the bleeding. However, the Huskies had other plans, and only 1:19 in the third quarter Lexie Dunleavy from the top of the circle found Graves for a deflection goal to give the home team a 4-0 lead. Over two minutes later, Dunleavy herself scored after her shot deflected off a Hofstra player for a 5-0 lead.   

The scoring ceased at that point, with Northeastern clinching a playoff berth and Hofstra’s season coming to an end, extending their playoff drought to six years. The Huskies clinched as the No. 4 seed and will face the James Madison University Dukes in the opening round of the CAA Championship.

Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics