Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra field hockey team opened its home slate with a 2-0 shutout win over Sacred Heart on a picture-perfect Sunday afternoon from Cindy Lewis Stadium. Hofstra is now 1-1 on the year, while Sacred Heart drops to 0-2.
 
With the score deadlocked at 0-0 after halftime despite Hofstra holding a 14-5 first half shot advantage, the Pride scored on a backhanded rocket from freshman Gwenn van Dijk with 4:28 remaining in the third quarter. A Sacred Heart clearance attempt inside its own end was broken up by the Hofstra press, and van Dijk collected the loose ball before unleashing a backhander past the outstretched arm of Pioneers goalie Brianna Cooper for her first collegiate goal. The Pride kept the offensive pressure going into the fourth quarter, and were rewarded with a penalty stroke for the second consecutive game. Teresa Karoff stepped to the spot and beat Cooper low and off the post for the second Hofstra tally of the afternoon.
 
Luci Hollister picked up her first win and first shutout win of her career with a five-save effort between the posts. Meanwhile, Cooper stopped 11 shots for the Pioneers in the loss.
 
Hofstra returns to Cindy Lewis Stadium on Friday, September 5, for a 4 p.m. contest against Rider.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 22-0 all-time versus Sacred Heart.
-The Pride finished with a 22-10 shot advantage against Sacred Heart, and an 8-5 edge in penalty corners.
-van Dijk and Jaime Lewis led the Pride with four shots apiece.
-Karoff is the first Hofstra field hockey student-athlete since Cami Larsson in 2019 with multiple penalty stroke goals in a season.