Hofstra University Athletics

FH: Gallagher's Goal Gives Pride A CAA Bid

10/26/2012 10:34:00 PM

Hempstead, NY - Senior Micaela Gallagher's goal with 14:42 to play in regulation broke a 1-1 tie and propelled the Hofstra Pride to a 2-1 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the Towson Tigers at the Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium Friday afternoon.

The Pride victory gives Hofstra the sixth and final seed in the CAA Championship Tournament that begins on Thursday, November 1 at a site to be determined this weekend. Hofstra, which ended a two-game losing slide, improved to 7-10 on the season and 1-5 in conference action. Towson, which dropped its fourth consecutive game, falls to 1-17 overall and 0-6 in the CAA.

In the Battle for the Bid Friday, with the winner getting the final spot in the CAA Championship, the Pride, thanks to their seniors, jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 9:38 mark. On a Hofstra penalty corner, senior Codi Nyland (Washington, NJ) inserted the ball to classmate Krizia Layne (Arima, Trinidad) who stopped the ball at the top of the circle. Senior Kerry Kiddoo (Chapel Hill, NC) then sent a pass to the left side of the circle to Micaela Gallagher (Port Jefferson, NY) who fired a shot at Towson goalie Tashani Dickson. Hofstra senior defender Melissa McCarthy (Havertown, PA), camped out to the right of Dickson, deflected Gallagher's shot past the goalie for her fourth goal of the season.

While the Pride held a 6-3 shot advantage in the first half, the Tigers had a great opportunity to tie the game in the 14th minute when sophomore Courtney Branco had two point-black shots at the Hofstra goal that Pride junior goalie Kaitlyn De Turo turned away to keep the game scoreless. De Turo had three of her five saves in the contest in the first half while Dickson made both of her saves in the game in the first half.

But Towson got the equalizer 10:58 into the second half when sophomore Stevie Winchester carried the ball along the end line and fired a shot that Branco deflected past De Turo for her sixth goal of the season.

The Pride had two shots, by Nyland and Gallagher that went wide, in the next nine minutes leading up to the eventual game-winner. On the tie-breaking goal, Gallagher made a run down the left side of the circle, stopped and fired a shot that deflected off a Towson stick and past Dickson for her sixth goal of the season and a 2-1 lead.

The Tigers had three shots to tie the game in the final 14 minutes but one shot was blocked and two were stopped by De Turo. Their best opportunity may have been in the final two minutes when Branco had a shot near the top of the box that De Turo kicked away to preserve the lead and get the victory.

Hofstra outshot Towson, 13-7 in the contest and had three penalty corners to the Tigers two in the contest that earn the Pride their eighth CAA Championship Tournament bid in the past nine seasons.

Hofstra will wrap up its CAA regular season on Sunday (Oct. 28) when they host the Dragons of Drexel (11-6, 3-2) at the Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium. Game time is 1 p.m. The contest has no standing-implications for the Pride but it will for the Dragons, who are hosting front-running Northeastern (12-4, 4-1) Friday night before coming to Long Island on Sunday.

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