Hempstead, NY (Sept. 18) - Senior back Jess Crankshaw (Lanoka Harbor, NJ) scored off a free kick late in the first half, and junior back Dana Bergstrom (Billerica, MA) saved two shots off the goal line as the Hofstra Women's Soccer team played to a 1-1 tie with Columbia in its final non-conference game on Friday evening at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
With the tie, the Pride moves to 3-3-1 on the year heading into Colonial Athletic Association play. Columbia moves to 2-2-1.
Ashlin Yahr scored the first goal of the game when she converted at the top of the six-yard box after a Columbia free kick. Kelly Hostetler took the free kick from midfield, and the ball was headed around inside the Hofstra penalty area. Lauren Cooke stepped in to head the ball forward from the top of the box, and Yahr was able to turn and slip a low shot into the net for her third goal of the year at the 22:25 mark.
Yahr's goal came after a flurry in which Columbia put the Pride under heavy pressure for several minutes. Junior defender Dana Bergstrom (Billerica, MA) had two defensive saves in a span of less than two minutes, as she cleared a shot from Yahr off the line. Two corner kicks later, Bergstrom was in the perfect position at the far post to clear a shot away from Marissa Schultz.
Crankshaw evened the score when she took a direct kick from outside the top of the box after a Columbia hand ball. She bent a perfectly-placed shot over the top of the wall and inside the left post for her first goal of the season with 5:11 left inthe first half.
Columbia had a 9-1 edge in shots over the first 30 minutes, but the Pride settled down after that and had the better of the play in the second half, outshooting the Lions 6-2. However, Columbia nearly picked up the win as Marissa Schultz got in behind the defense with just over a minute to play in regulation. Junior goalkeeper Krysten Farriella (Lake Ronkonkoma, NY), though, came off her line and stopped the breakaway to preserve the 1-1 tie.
The Lions had the best chance in overtime as Sophie Reiser put a shot from 18 yards out just over the crossbar. Hofstra threatened in the closing seconds, as junior midfielder Tiffany Yovino (Holtsville, NY) got free from just outside the penalty box, but Columbia goalie Lillian Klein was able to handle it.
Klein finished with seven saves for the Lions, while Farriella had one save on the breakaway, while being supported by two saves from Bergstrom. Columbia finished with a 15-13 edge in shots.
Hofstra will next be in action when it opens Colonial Athletic Association play with a road game at Delaware on Thursday at 7 p.m.
