Towson, MD - Freshman midfielder Stephan Barea (Levittown, NY/Island Trees) scored with 9:57 remaining in the first half to give the Hofstra Men's Soccer team a 1-0 win over Towson on Wednesday afternoon.

The win improves Hofstra's record to 8-6-1 overall and 6-2-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association, putting it on the verge of clinching a CAA Tournament berth with two home games left to play. Towson falls to 6-9 overall and 3-6 in the conference with the loss.

The game-winning goal was set up when Towson goalkeeper Frank Fregoso was caught out of net on a Hofstra cross. Junior forward Johannes Grahn (Tibro, Sweden) took a shot from the top of the 18-yard box that was stopped by Towson defender Josh Spivey for a team save. The loose ball went right to Barea along the left edge of the box, and Barea one-timed a low shot into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

Grahn had nearly scored twice for the Pride in the first half, including one where his diving header at the top of the six-yard box off a cross from senior midfielder Rob Youhill (Harrogate, England) went just wide.

Sophomore goalkeeper Greg Cumpstone (Haddam, CT) held the fort in the second half against some dangerous pressure to preserve the shutout. He stopped one long range shot from defender Roslin Nzokou in front of the crossbar and his momentum carried him into the net, but he was able to hold the ball out in front of the line. With just under 20 minutes to go, Spivey got a loose ball in the penalty box after a Towson corner kick and cracked a low shot from eight yards out that appeared to be heading into net. Cumpstone, though, went down to smother the shot, then pounced on a loose ball in front of the goal line before any Tigers could get to the rebound.

Hofstra nearly tacked on insurance goals in the closing minutes, as Barea and freshman forward Mike Annarumma (Massapequa Park, NY) both got alone in the Towson penalty area on counter attacks, but Fregoso was able to come up with a pair of tough saves to keep the game 1-0. Defender Phil Greatwich received a red card for his second caution with 7:27 to go for Towson, leaving the Tigers down a man for the closing minutes.

The Pride will next be in action when it hosts James Madison on Saturday for a 7 p.m. contest.