WSOC: Hofstra Opens Road Swing At Towson And JMU

Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will start a three-game road Colonial Athletic Association swing on Friday when the Pride takes on Towson at 3 p.m. before venturing to James Madison on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Live statistics will be available for both games and James Madison will offer free live video and audio that can be accessed through Pride Productions.

Hofstra is receiving votes in the latest NSCAA national poll after surging to a 9-4 overall start and a 3-1 CAA record. The Pride split a pair of conference homes last week, falling in overtime to UNCW before besting Charleston, 5-1.

Head Coach Simon Riddiough's team will face a Towson squad that is 6-4-3 and looking for its first CAA win of the season after starting 0-2-1 in league action. James Madison (9-4, 3-0) is the only remaining CAA team without a conference loss. Hofstra entered the week a half-game behind the Dukes for first place. The Pride has won four of the last five games.

A potent Hofstra offense has scored at least four goals on four separate occasions, including the win over Charleston that saw five different players score. The Pride has allowed one goal or fewer in six of the last eight games behind junior goalkeeper Friederike Mehring and a defense led by senior Mallory Ullrich, junior Emily Agudelo, sophomore Rhian Cleverly and freshman Madeline Anderson.

Friday will pit Hofstra against a Towson team the program has historically dominated. The Pride is 18-2-1 in the all-time series and has won 13 of the last 14 matchups, including two wins last season that encompassed both the regular season and the CAA Championship quarterfinals.

The Pride will enter with a four-game winning streak in the series. Towson will look to buck history and also snap a four-game winless streak after going 0-2-2. Towson has scored a league-low 16 goals in 13 games. Hofstra is pacing the CAA by posting 32 goals in the same number of contests, accounting for five more than second-place UNCW and Northeastern.

But the Tigers still have weapons, led by Natalia Pinkney's five goals; three of which have counted as game-winners. Towson has used a stingy defense to stay competitive in holding teams to just 11 goals for a 0.85 goals-against-average. Goalkeeper Taylor Sebolao's .871 save percentage leads the league and her GAA is third-best in the conference. Towson has surrendered one goal or fewer in 10 games. That will present a challenge for a Hofstra team that has scored at least four goals in four games and twice has cracked the five-goal mark.

Hofstra will be facing a James Madison squad that is the only undefeated CAA team left. JMU will face defending-CAA champion Northeastern at home on Friday before hosting Hofstra.

Junior forward Ashley Herndon won the CAA Player of the Week award after scoring the game-winning goal at Delaware and adding a second goal in a road win at Drexel. Herndon already has posted a career-high nine goals and has six game-winners. Allie Bunner is one of two JMU players in the league's top-nine point-getters. Her 15 points trails only Herndon's 23 for the team.

Herndon and Hofstra senior forward Leah Galton are tied for the CAA scoring lead. Each has 23 points while Herndon has played 13 games compared to Galton's 12.

James Madison has shut out six opponents this season, tying Elon for the most in the CAA. Ellen Forrest is one of four goalkeepers in the conference to crack the 50-save plateau and leads the league in clean sheets.

Hofstra is 6-9-2 in the all-time series, including a 4-3 win over the Dukes in last year's CAA Championship semifinals on Northeastern's campus. Agudelo scored the game-winning goal in the 81st minute.

Hofstra's RPI is 23 entering the week of Oct. 6, moving up 28 in the previous week's poll. The figure is the highest mark of any CAA team. Northeastern is the second-highest CAA team that 38. Towson is 191 and James Madison is 50.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#7 Emily Agudelo: D/M; 5' 5"; Junior

#3 Rhian Cleverly: D/M; 5' 5"; Sophomore

#21 Leah Galton: F; 5' 7"; Senior

#27 Friederike Mehring: GK; 5' 5"; Junior

#15 Mallory Ullrich: D; 5' 1"; Senior

#2 Madeline Anderson: D; 5' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#7 Emily Agudelo
: 5' 5"; Junior
: D/M

#3 Rhian Cleverly
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: D/M

#21 Leah Galton
: 5' 7"; Senior
: F

#27 Friederike Mehring
: 5' 5"; Junior
: GK

#15 Mallory Ullrich
: 5' 1"; Senior
: D

#2 Madeline Anderson
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: D