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Hofstra University Athletics

THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
Jill Mulholland
Jill Mulholland
0
Hofstra HOFSTRA (13-6-2, 7-1-1 CAA)
2
Winner Rutgers RU (18-3-2, 7-2-2 B1G)
Hofstra HOFSTRA
(13-6-2, 7-1-1 CAA)
0
Final
2
Rutgers RU
(18-3-2, 7-2-2 B1G)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Hofstra HOFSTRA 0 0 0
Rutgers RU 2 0 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | By Brian Bohl

WSOC: Hofstra Falls To #9 Rutgers In Second Round Of NCAA Tournament

Piscataway, N.J. – Ninth-ranked Rutgers scored two goals in the opening 20 minutes to take control as Hofstra fell, 2-0, to the Scarlet Knights in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night at Yurcak Field.

Rutgers capitalized on a Hofstra own goal and Brianne Reed scored her first of the season to give the Scarlet Knights the victory in the round-of-32. Rutgers goalkeeper Casey Murphy made two saves to notch her Division I-leading 17th shutout.

Hofstra ended its season13-6-2. The Pride made the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history and advanced to the second round for the first time since 2010 after advancing against Georgetown on penalty kicks in the opening round last week.  The Pride fell to the Scarlet Knights for the second time this season. Rutgers won, 1-0, in the first meeting on Aug. 23 and is 3-0 all-time against Hofstra.

Rutgers, who entered as a No. 2 seed and a top-10 ranking in the NSCAA rankings, improved to 18-3-2 and will host UConn on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the third round. The Huskies defeated Notre Dame in the earlier contest at Yurcak Field to advance to the Sweet 16.

Down 2-0 early in the second half, Hofstra senior forward Leah Galton drew a foul in the Rutgers' box when Erica Skroski fouled her at the top-center of the 18-yard zone. Galton had scored on a Hofstra's only previous penalty kick attempt this season when she found the net against Georgetown in the first round last week. But Murphy prevented a second straight successful attempt by making a lunging save to her right to snuff out Galton's spot kick and keep the Pride's deficit at 2-0 in the 52nd minute.

That marked Hofstra's best scoring chance. Rutgers set a program record for wins and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third time and first since 2008. The Scarlet Knights are first in the nation in shutout percentage and conceded just four total Hofstra shots.  

Sophomore Kristin Desmond took Galton's pass and blasted a 17-yard kick that went just high in the 79th minute to threaten the shutout bid. Junior defender Emily Agudelo was credited with two of Hofstra's shot to account for half of the team's tally.

Hofstra junior goalkeeper Friederike Mehring made two saves to keep the Pride in the game. Galton logged 71 minutes despite a torn quad muscle in a gutty performance.

Rutgers opened the scoring on a Hofstra own goal in the 12th minute. Erin Smith worked the ball deep in the Pride's 18 yard box and tried to center a pass to Colby Ciarrocca located at the far post. Agudelo blocked the attempt but the momentum carried the ball into the net for the own goal and an early Rutgers advantage.

Reed extended the edge to 2-0 when she headed in Samantha Valliant's right-side corner in the 20th minute. Valliant sent a looping pass right to the line of the six-yard box and Reed timed her leap perfectly to head the ball into the high right-side.

Hofstra made its third appearance all-time in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, joining the 2007 and 2010 squads as the only units in program history to advance that far. The contest marked the16th time Hofstra faced a ranked opponent since Simon Riddiough took over as head coach in 2006. It was also the third time in the last two years Hofstra has faced a top-10 team following a loss to No. 2 Virginia in 2014 and a loss at No. 6 Penn State this season.

The Pride recorded double-digit wins for a ninth straight season. The only time a team coached by Riddiough did not reach at least 10 wins came in his first season in 2006 when Hofstra won nine games. Riddiough has not had a losing season in his 10 years at the helm and has guided the Pride to four NCAA Tournament appearances. Hofstra won the Colonial Athletic Association's regular season title this season.

Galton, the only three-time CAA Player of the Year in league history, ended a fantastic career as Hofstra's all-time points leader with 122. Her 48 goals are second on the team's all-time list and her 26 career assists are tied with Jerilyn Marinan for the team's all-time mark.

Senior midfielders Chloe Dale and Jeannine Molleda capped their successful college careers. Each were key contributors to two NCAA Tournament teams, including their freshman year in 2012 and this season in which both were starters who logged heavy minutes. Senior defender Mallory Ullrich, a starter who transferred to the program in time for the 2013 season, also played her final collegiate game.

Hofstra was one of three CAA teams to advance to the second round, joining William & Mary and UNCW. The conference sent four teams total to the tournament, including champion and automatic qualifier James Madison.  
 
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