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Hofstra University Athletics

THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
Patric Pray
Patric Pray made nine saves in Hofstra's 2-1 win over No. 15 Syracuse
1
Syracuse SU (0-1)
2
Winner Hofstra HOFSTRA (1-0)
Syracuse SU
(0-1)
1
Final
2
Hofstra HOFSTRA
(1-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Syracuse SU 0 1 1
Hofstra HOFSTRA 0 2 2

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

MSOC: Hofstra Opens Season With 2-1 Win Over #15 Syracuse

Hempstead, N.Y. – Senior goalkeeper Patric Pray made nine saves, including five in the second-half, and junior Joseph Holland and sophomore Henry Crayton scored second-half goals to lift Hofstra to a season-opening 2-1 win over No. 15 Syracuse on Friday night at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.

Hofstra defeated a ranked team for the first time since 2013 when the Pride defeated No. 25 Brown. The win was the highest-ranked opponent since the 2012 squad bested No. 15 Old Dominion. The Pride improved to 1-0 while Syracuse fell to 0-1.

Crayton, who is in his second season but did not play in 2014, scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 66th minute to give Hofstra a 2-0 lead. Syracuse, which held a No. 1 ranking for a time in 2014, got on the board when Oyvind Alseth scored a penalty kick goal in the 71st minute.

Hofstra held on for the lead, which was forged when Holland scored off a penalty kick in the 61st minute. Syracuse's Liam Callahan was whistled for a foul in the box and drew a straight red card to set up the penalty kick.

Holland buried the shot and Hofstra capitalized playing against a 10-man Syracuse squad when Crayton scored to the low-left side from nearly 10 yards out at 65:46 for the two-goal edge.

Syracuse mounted a fierce rally, including a two-shot sequence in the final minute. Juuso Pasanen's shot drilled off the cross bar and Pray made a great save on Chris Nanco's attempt in an exciting 90th minute in front of an announced crowd of 1,073. Pray previously saved Nanco's 85th-minute shot to keep Hofstra in the lead.
Pray tied his career high for saves, matching the mark he set against Delaware on Oct. 15, 2014.

Holland led the CAA in assists in 2014 and showed the offensive ability that earned him an All-CAA First Team bid by posing a team-high four shots. Only Nanco's five shots were higher in the game.

Freshman defender Sean Nealis played well in his first game. The Massapequa native joined a stellar back line that saw yeoman work from Daniel Grundei, Harri Hawkins and Nino Alfonso to keep a potent Syracuse offense in check. Alfonso made a first-half defensive save to rob a goal on the back line, blocking Miles Robinson's shot in the first half's final minute.

Hofstra will next be in action on Sunday with a 12 p.m. game versus Vermont at Hofstra Soccer Stadium. The Hofstra Women's Soccer team will face Fairleigh Dickinson to cap a single-admission doubleheader immediately following. 
 
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