Philadelphia, PA – Hofstra senior
Stella Schoen scored twice for the Pride but the Dragons scored twice in the first 11 minutes of the second half to break a 2-2 halftime deadlock as Drexel defeated the Pride, 4-3 in a Colonial Athletic Association contest at Vidas Field Friday night.
Hofstra, which dropped its third consecutive game, slips to 9-7 overall and 1-3 in the CAA. Drexel, which snapped a four-game losing skid, improved to 7-9 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
With William and Mary's (7-8, 4-1) overtime win over James Madison (11-4, 3-2) and Delaware's (14-2, 4-0) win over Towson (2-14, 0-4) Friday night, Hofstra will need to win both conference home games next weekend, against James Madison and William and Mary, and get some help to qualify for the four-team 2017 CAA Championship on November 4-6.
Hofstra jumped on the board first in the 12
th minute off a Drexel miscue when a Dragon defender tried to send a pass across the circle that Pride senior
Stella Schoen intercepted and beat goalie Erin Gilchrist for a 1-0 lead. It was Schoen's 12
th goal of the year. But the Dragons tied it up less than two minutes later when Idrienne Walker picked up a blocked shot and beat Hofstra goalie
Lauren Saltus (2 saves) for her 10
th goal of the year.
The Pride regained the lead just 1:13 later when sophomore
Madison Sauve sent a pass in front to senior
Claudia Marin Samper who buried her 16
th goal of the season. Drexel tied it in the 25
th minute as Jessica McCarthy scored off a penalty corner with Katie Bagdon and Walker assisting as the half ended in a 2-2 deadlock.
Drexel came out of the break breathing fire and scored twice in the first 11 minutes to open up a 4-2 advantage. Allison McCardell, sister of Hofstra alumnus Shannon McCardell, notched her third goal of the year off a shot from near the top of the circle that deflected off of Saltus and into the goal at the 37:44 mark. Ten minutes later, McCarthy scored her second of the game and seventh of the year, off a penalty stroke for a 4-2 lead.
Schoen brought Hofstra back to within one at 4-3 with her second of the game and 13
th of the year off a penalty corner. Classmates
Colby Hussong and
Claudia Marin Samper assisted on the goal. It was also Schoen's 46
th career goal which moved her into sixth place on the Hofstra career goal chart, passing Charlie Warner (45 from 2005-08).
The Pride had several good looks at the Drexel goal in the final six minutes but Gilchrist made a stick save on one and two others went wide as Hofstra dropped its third consecutive contest. Hofstra outshot Drexel, 10-9 and took five penalty corners to the Dragons two.
Marin Samper's three points in the game brings her to within four points of breaking Genna Kovar's school record (148 from 2008-11). She also has 54 career goals which is four from breaking Kovar's mark of 57.
The Pride stay in Philadelphia and return to action on Sunday (Oct. 23) when they face the Hawks of St. Joseph's in a non-conference game at Ellen Ryan Field at noon.
