Hempstead, N.Y. – Following back-to-back shutout victories, the Pride will open Colonial Athletic Association play with a 7 p.m. road game at Elon on Saturday. Hofstra will also conclude a two-game road swing with a non-conference matchup at Wake Forest on Monday at 7 p.m.
After blanking Vermont and Binghamton in back-to-back games, Hofstra (4-3-2) will begin conference play by facing Elon for the first time in history. The game will also be the first-ever Colonial Athletic Association contest for the Phoenix, which joined the CAA from the Southern Conference before the 2014 season.
Elon is 4-3-2 and is 2-1-2 in its last five games. The Phoenix shut out High Point, 1-0, in the previous game. Elon held the opposition to just one shot-on-goal.
Through nine games, Elon has established a tough, physical identity by allowing just eight goals. The Phoenix offense has scored just eight goals as well, meaning offense could be at a premium when the Pride heads to North Carolina for the game. In goal, Nathan Dean has played every minute and will carry a 0.84 goals-against-average into the league opener. Dean already has compiled five shutouts.
Hofstra goalkeeper Patric Pray has also racked up clean sheets, including a four-save effort in a 1-0 win over Binghamton on Tuesday. Pray has two individual shutouts this season and teamed with sophomore Brian McPartland on a shutout win over Vermont.
Senior defender Daniel Grundei has provided support in front of the goalkeepers at the center back position. But the transfer from Towson has also made a contribution on offense with three game-winning goals. That includes the deciding goal in the last two Hofstra games, where were both 1-0 victories. Despite playing on the back line, Grundei leads Hofstra in goals.
Senior midfielders Elliott Firth and Joseph Holland have also helped the Pride gain possession advantages and dictate play. Firth has two goals and three assists for seven points and assisted on Grundei's game-winner in the 81st minute against the Bearcats. Holland has points in six of his last seven games and leads Hofstra with 10 points.
Hofstra has not allowed a goal in the last 202:35 dating to Sept. 19 in a loss to UNH.
The Monday night game against Wake Forest will mark the second all-time meeting between the schools. Hofstra fell, 5-1, to the then-ranked No. 3 Demon Deacons in the second round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
Wake Forest is 5-4 and 1-2 in the ACC with its conference win coming against N.C. State. Junior forward Michael Gamble was named the Disney Soccer/NSCAA Player of the Week as announced by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America this week. Gamble scored four goals and notched two assists in two games last week. He had four goals and an assist in the 7-0 win over VMI last Tuesday and had an assist on Friday at Clemson.
Gamble became the first Deacon since 1983 to have four goals in a game and the first ACC player since 2011 to accomplish that feat. It was tied for second most goals in a game in school history. He also had a school record 11 shots in the contest. He leads the ACC in points (16), shots (43), goals (6), assists (6), shots per game (5.38), points per game (2.25), goals per game (0.75) and assists per game (0.75).
