Philadelphia, Pa. and Newark, Del. – After posting a 6-2-1 non-conference record, Hofstra women's soccer will open its Colonial Athletic Association schedule this weekend, travelling to Drexel for a 7:30 p.m. game on Friday before heading to Delaware for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday. Both games will be available via live stats and live video.
The Pride went 2-0 last week, picking up a pair of 2-1 wins over Fairleigh Dickinson and Fordham, respectively. Sophomore
Madeline Anderson netted the overtime winner at home on Wednesday to lift Hofstra over the Knights, while junior
Kristin Desmond opened the scoring on assists from senior
Jill Mulholland in both games. Desmond finished the week with two goals and an assist, giving her 10 points in the past four games, while Mulholland picked up a goal and two helpers. Mulholland moved into eighth on the program all-time chart with 63 career points and tied for eighth with 24 career goals. With 19 points on seven goals and five assists, she leads the Colonial Athletic Association in goals, points and shots entering conference play, and her 2.11 points per game average ranks 18th nationally.
Hofstra has won its past four CAA openers and will look to continue that streak Friday at Drexel. The Dragons are an even 4-4-1 heading into conference play and are predicted to finish seventh in the conference, according to the preseason coaches' poll. Drexel opened the season with wins over local rivals Temple and Villanova before a setback against La Salle. The Dragons got back in the win column against Monmouth, but a trip out west brought a 1-0 loss to Northern Colorado and a 5-0 defeat from Colorado. A 1-0 victory over Fairfield marks the only goal they have scored in their past four games, adding a 5-0 loss to No. 23 Rutgers and a scoreless draw with Penn.
Preseason All-CAA selection sophomore Vanessa Kara leads the team with two goals and three assists. In net, junior Christiana Ogunsami has made 51 saves en route to an .823 save percentage and 1.27 goals-against average.
The Pride has taken the past two series meetings with the Dragons, including a 1-0 win on an
Emily Hulbert goal last season. But Drexel has won the past two matches played in Philadelphia. Hofstra, however, holds a dramatic 17-3 advantage in the all-time series.
The Pride has also posted 17 all-time wins against Delaware, with a 17-6-1 record against the Blue Hens. Hofstra is unbeaten in the past four meetings, going 3-0-1 over that span, including a 3-0 blanking last season.
The Blue Hens come into the weekend with just one win on the season, a 1-0 victory over Loyola Maryland, but Delaware has taken Saint Joseph's, Princeton and Stony Brook to overtime. The team has also suffered losses to Villanova, Georgetown, George Washington and Penn. The Blue Hens open conference play on Friday against Northeastern before hosting the Pride on Sunday.
Preseason All-CAA selection senior Natalie Zelenky has had a hand in four of Delaware's seven goals, leading the team with two goals and two assists. Redshirt-junior Kailyn Rekos has been the team's No.1 goalkeeper, posting 60 saves, a .769 save percentage a 2.03 goals-against average.
Hofstra continues its five-game road trip the following weekend, heading south to College of Charleston for a 7 p.m. game on Sept. 30 before travelling to UNC Wilmington for a 1 p.m. matchup on Oct. 2.
