Three 2nd-Half Goals Hands UD a 3-1 Setback

by Adam Nichols
October 8, 2012

The University of Delaware women’s soccer team fell to Hofstra University, 3-1, behind three second-half goals in a Colonial Athletic Association match Thursday evening at Hofstra’s Soccer Stadium.

Delaware (7-4, 4-1 CAA) had its five-game winning streak snapped with the loss while Hofstra (8-4, 4-0 CAA) remains unbeaten in the CAA and extend its winning streak to six games.

“That was a tale of two halves,” Delaware head coach Scott Grzenda said about his squad’s first loss in the conference this season. “In the first half we played some of the best soccer a UD team has ever played and in the second we were not there.”

The Blue Hens took and early 1-0 advantage in the 33rd minute of the first half when senior forward Ali Miller collected her sixth goal of the season when she knocked in her own rebound just inside the right post of Hofstra’s goal.

Delaware took a 1-0 lead into halftime and then a 42-minute delay due to lightning changed the course of the match.

“Its always tough to come up here and get a win,” Grzenda added. “Give Hofstra credit, they came out after the lightning delay and took us off our game.”

In the 64th minute of the second half, Hofstra’s Leah Galton scored her first goal of the match that tied the game at 1-1 on a high shot from three yards inside the right side of UD’s penalty box from a helpful assist by Jill Mulholland.

HU’s Galton produced her second goal of the match and seventh goal of the season on a header off of a free kick from five yards out by Ruby Staplehurst tied the match at 1-1 at the 70:44 mark of the second half.

The Pride made it 3-1 in the 80th minute of the second half when Hofstra’s Lulu Echeverry tallied her sixth goal of the season after she dodged a UD defender and dribbled 30 yards to score in the right side of the net.

Delaware out shot Hofstra, 14-12, as Miller led the Blue Hens with four shots on goal while Galton paced the Pride with five shots on goal.

Blue Hens junior goalkeeper Jess Levy suffered the loss after she made three saves in the match. Pride goalkeeper Emily Morphitis produced five saves in the win.

In the 43rd minute of the first half, Hofstra’s Brittany Farriella received a yellow card from the officials. Hofstra played a very physical match that resulted in the Pride collecting 17 fouls compared to five that were called on Delaware.

The Blue Hens will return to Delaware Mini Stadium on Sunday, October 7 at 1 p.m. when Delaware hosts host Northeastern University at 1 p.m.. Sunday’s match is a part of a Delaware soccer doubleheader as the men’s soccer team will host No 14 Old Dominion University at 4 p.m.

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