Hempstead, NY - Matthew Vowinkel scored two second half goals as top-seeded and 13th-ranked Hofstra erased a 1-0 halftime deficit and defeated third-seeded Elon, 3-2, to win the 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Championship at Hofstra Soccer Stadium Sunday afternoon.  

Hofstra extended its unbeaten streak to 15 games (13-0-2) and established a new program record for victories with its 16th win of the season (16-1-2). The Pride topped the old mark of 15 wins set by the 1968 squad (15-2-1). Elon sees its season end with a 9-8-2 mark.

The CAA Championship is Hofstra's fifth and the first since 2015. Hofstra also won three consecutive CAA titles between 2004 and 2006. Hofstra earns the CAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will find out their tournament plans during the NCAA Men's Soccer Selection show Monday afternoon (Nov. 15) at 1 p.m.

Vemund Hole Vike put Elon up 1-0 with a goal just 5:44 into the contest. It was only the third game all season in which the Pride have trailed. Hofstra had multiple scoring chances in the first half but could not get the equalizer as goalkeeper Peter Wentzel made four first half saves, and his defenders stopped two other shots on goal to preserve the one-goal lead.

The Pride eventually broke through at 52:30 as Vowinkel headed in a cross from Ryan Carmichael with Francesco Perinelli getting the second assist. Less than four minutes later, Stefan Mason gave the Pride the lead when he sent in a free kick from just outside the right corner of the 18-yard box that found the top corner just inside the far post for the 2-1 lead.

Vowinkel would cap off the Hofstra scoring at 71:06 as Perinelli sent a pass to a cutting Storm Strongin on the left side, Strongin took two dribbles and sent a pass across the goal mouth that Vowinkel redirected past Wentzel for a 3-1 lead.

The goal proved to be needed as Jack Edwards scored for the Phoenix at 78:32 to make it a one-goal lead. Hofstra keeper Wessel Speel made a key save in the final 10 minutes as he knocked a bicycle kick shot up and over the crossbar to thwart an Elon chance at tying the game.

Speel finished with five saves on the day, while Wentzel also had five.

Notes:
-Vowinkel was named the CAA Championship Most Outstanding Player after scoring a pair of goals in each Hofstra victory.
-The Pride becomes the first CAA member to win both the CAA Men's and Women's Soccer Championships in the same season since UNCW in 2009.
-Mason, Perinelli, and Roc Carles joined Vowinkel as all-tournament team selections for the Pride.
-Hofstra will be making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance after qualifying in 1968, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2015.
-Hofstra had a 17-11 advantage in shots and a 7-4 edge in corner kicks.