Elon, NC – In a rematch of the 2021 Colonial Athletic Association championship game, the third-seeded Hofstra men's soccer team repeated as CAA champions, as the Pride outlasted top-seeded Elon, 2-1, at Rudd Field on Saturday afternoon. The championship is Hofstra's sixth overall and third since 2015.
 
The Pride (14-3-3) will find out their NCAA Tournament destination Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. during the NCAA Selection Show that will air on NCAA.com. Elon, which is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, moved to 11-4-3 overall.  
 
Hofstra controlled the pace during the majority of the first stanza, as the Pride out-shot the Phoenix, 6-1, during the first 45 minutes without allowing an Elon shot on goal. Ryan Carmichael registered four of those six opportunities, but it was Oliver Svalander who found the back of the net in the 39th minute after receiving a pass from Roc Carles, who dribbled 40 yards up the pitch to put the Pride in position to score.
 
Hofstra continued to add opportunities into the second half, but Elon did the same as the Phoenix rattled off four shots in less than five minutes with goalkeeper Wessel Speel making two great back-to-back saves to turn the Phoenix away.
 
With about five minutes to go, Hofstra drew a corner kick as Svalander booted it in, finding the head of Carmichael. Carmichael's header was saved by a diving keeper Ryan Bilichuk, but Francesco Perinelli was there for the rebound and buried a shot to the top left corner from a near-impossible angle.
 
Elon had one last bit of life with a pair of blocked shots inside the four-minute mark before adding a goal with 12 seconds remaining, but Hofstra had already taken care of business as the Pride celebrated their sixth CAA Championship.  
 
Following the match, Eliot Goldthorp was named the CAA Championship Most Outstanding Performer and was joined on the All-Championship team by Carmichael, Pierce Infuso, and Perinelli.
 
Notes:
-Hofstra was making its 10th CAA finals appearance and third consecutive..
-Hofstra will be making its seventh NCAA Championship appearance.
-The Pride enters the NCAA tournament on a five-game winning streak and a seven-game unbeaten streak.
-Hofstra is now 8-1-1 in the all-time series against Elon.
-Hofstra finished with a 13-8 advantage in shots, but shots on goal were only 4-3 in favor of the Pride.
-Hofstra is 9-1 in one-goal games in 2022.