Jamaica, N.Y. - Senior forward Laura Greene (Holbrook, N.Y.) scored her 12th career goal and freshman forward Caylin Dudley (Grasonville, Md.) scored her first as the Hofstra Women's Soccer team earned a 2-0 win over Columbia on Friday afternoon at the New York City Classic on the campus of St. John's University.

With the win, the Pride levels its record at 1-1 in the young season, while Columbia starts its campaign at 0-1.

Greene put the Pride in front at the 31:32 mark of the first half when she intercepted the ball near the left sideline 40 yards from goal. She made a long run up the right sideline, then cut back to the middle of the field. Just outside the top of the 18-yard box, she let a hard shot go with her right foot that sailed over the fingertips of Columbia goalkeeper Lillian Klein, hit the underside of the crossbar, and bounced over the line for the first goal of the game.

The Pride then took advantage of a huge momentum switch at the end of the first half to take a 2-0 lead into the break. Columbia nearly picked up the equalizer on a counter-attack as Kimmy Bettinger broke into the left side of the box. She then ripped a hard shot that was heading towards the upper-right corner, but Hofstra goalkeeper Emily Morphitis (London, England) made a spectacular diving save, and Erin Falk's attempt at a follow-up from the top of the penalty area was deflected by the Hofstra defense before it could get through on net.

Instead of being tied, Hofstra added an insurance goal as two freshmen came off the bench to connect to give the Pride a 2-0 lead. Freshman forward Anya Koren (Scottsdale, Ariz.) settled a ball with her back to goal and chipped a pass over the top of the Columbia defense. Dudley then ran onto the ball near the top of the 18-yard box, and chipped a delicate shot over the top of Klein, who came off her line to cut down the angle, and into the empty net for her first collegiate goal.

The Pride then dominated the second half, but was unable to add to its goal total. Hofstra took the first 11 shots of the second stanza, before Columbia took two in the final five minutes of the game, the second of which was a dangerous 30-yard free kick from Beverly Leon that Morphitis made a diving stop on to her left. Freshman Lulu Echeverry (East Meadow, N.Y.) nearly added her first collegiate goal in the second half, but her 18-yard blast was tipped over the bar by Klein.  

Sophomore midfielder Kerry Cummings (Kansas City, Mo.), who transferred from St. John's, also had a blast midway through the second half from 15 yards out that was deflected by a Columbia defender in front of the cage with Klein out of net, as she just missed scoring a goal in her return to her former home field.

Hofstra finished with a 16-7 edge in shots (11-2 in the second half), while Klein finished with seven saves. Morphitis had two saves to finish with her first career shutout for the Pride.

Hofstra will next be in action when it faces Albany on the second day of the New York City Classic on Sunday at 1 p.m.