MSOC: #24 Hofstra Closes Home Schedule With Games Against #10 Elon And Stony Brook

Hempstead, N.Y. – Nationally ranked Hofstra will face a top-10 team for the first time in seven years when the Pride takes on No. 10 Elon on Saturday at 7 p.m. Hofstra will then renew a Long Island non-conference rivalry by hosting Stony Brook on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.

Free live video and audio is available via Pride Productions for both games and live statistics will also be available.

Fans can purchase tickets by visiting HofstraTickets.com, where it is now possible to print their tickets at home. In addition fans can also call (516) HOF-TIXX or visit the Hofstra Athletics Box Office in the Mack Sports Complex for more ticket information.

Hofstra, ranked 24th in the latest NSCAA national poll, is 10-5 and 5-1 in CAA play. The Pride enters the game tied with No. 10 Elon for first place in the CAA with two league games remaining. The Phoenix is 12-3 overall and 5-1. The winner would not only have a game lead but would also hold the tiebreaker. Hofstra will be facing a top-10 team for the first time since falling, 1-0, to No. 2 SMU in 2008.

Hofstra is 53-21-15 in its last 89 home games. All-time at Hofstra Soccer Stadium, which opened in 2003, the Pride has compiled a 59-29-13 record. Hofstra was 4-2-1 at home in 2014 and is 5-0 in the current season.

Hofstra earned the fourth spot in the latest NSCAA regional rankings on Oct. 20. Elon maintained its top spot, making the squad the only CAA team with a higher ranking than Hofstra. Three of the top-10 spots went to CAA teams, including UNCW at fifth.

Junior midfielder Joseph Holland enters the week with a CAA-leading 20 points and eight assists. Sophomore Meshack Eshun Addy has given the Pride a pair of top-flight goal-scoring options as the forward and Holland each are tied for second in the league by scoring six goals, moving them just one behind the league leader in UNCW forward Colin Bonner.

Before the game, Hofstra will honor the senior class that includes goalkeeper Patric Pray, defenders Marius Flateboe and Daniel Grundei and midfielder Felix Schaefer.

Elon earned the top spot in the Mid-West regional poll. Hofstra won the only previous meeting between the schools, defeating the Phoenix, 2-0, on the road last season. The Phoenix dropped a 2-1 overtime road heartbreaker at Duke, giving Elon a common fate as Hofstra also lost a close game to the Blue Devils on the road in similar fashion earlier in the month. Elon has been nationally ranked for five consecutive weeks – its longest streak in program history.

Eduardo Alvarez helped the Phoenix go 2-0 last week in a pair of Colonial Athletic Association matches. The Reitoca, Honduras, native scored a goal in its 2-1 victory at No. 24 UNCW to help earn a spot on Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week, converting his second penalty kick of the season. He then had an assist in the Phoenix's 2-1 victory over defending CAA tournament champion James Madison. Alvarez is currently tied for the team-lead in goals scored with five and is tied for second on the squad in total points with 12.

The Phoenix is No. 13 in the latest NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), a 10-spot improvement from last week's rankings. Elon also boasts the CAA's top offense by scoring a league-leading 31 goals and entered the week pacing the league in assists with 25 (1.79 avg/g), goals against average (0.93), shutouts (seven) and total goals allowed (13).

Hofstra is 14-6-4 in the all-time series against Stony Brook but will be playing the Seawolves for the first time since 2010. The series stated in 1966.

Stony Brook's offense has seen a two-man attack lead the way as Martin Giordano and Vince Erdei each have scored five goals, accounting for two-thirds of the team's total goal output of 15. Jason Orban has played every minute in goal, posting a 1.43 goals-against-average and recording 49 saves.

Behind Pray's efforts and a stellar back line, Hofstra has held teams to one or fewer goals in 11 of 15 games this season, going 10-1.

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Players Mentioned

#19 Meshack Eshun Addy: M; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#24 Marius Flateboe: D; 6' 1"; Senior

#27 Daniel Grundei: D; 6' 2"; Senior

#10 Joseph Holland: M; 5' 10"; Junior

#1 Patric Pray: GK; 6' 1"; Senior

#6 Felix Schaefer: M; 5' 9"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#19 Meshack Eshun Addy
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: M

#24 Marius Flateboe
: 6' 1"; Senior
: D

#27 Daniel Grundei
: 6' 2"; Senior
: D

#10 Joseph Holland
: 5' 10"; Junior
: M

#1 Patric Pray
: 6' 1"; Senior
: GK

#6 Felix Schaefer
: 5' 9"; Senior
: M