Hot Start, High Hopes: Pride Surging Into CAA Play
Ben Kane
October 2, 2022.
October 6, 2023.
And never in 2024.
For the first time since 2021, Hofstra field hockey has reached five wins before the calendar turned to October.
A 3-2 loss on opening day to No. 18 UAlbany, was disappointing from a result standpoint. The bright spots? A few players got their seasons going and haven’t looked back since
Freshman Luci Hollister made her first start in goal, making two saves in the game.
Teresa Karoff opened her scoring account, rifling one in off the penalty corner. The penalty stroke goal was the first for the Pride since October 8, 2023.
Then, the results started to pick up with Hofstra knocking off Sacred Heart 2-0 two days later.
The same duo was back at it – Hollister collected her first win and career shutout with a five-save performance while Karoff became the first Hofstra athlete since 2019 to net multiple penalty stroke goals in a season.
Over the next two contests, Hollister’s name was called on and she delivered, helping her team earn a 3-2 shootout win over Rider and a 2-1 double-overtime victory against Bryant.
Hofstra was riding a three-game high, marking the first rally of this length since 2021, but then came a one-goal loss to Yale.
Similar to the loss on opening day, the Pride weren’t fazed by the loss and began the pattern once again of dominating after the loss.
Hofstra took down Villanova 2-1 in overtime two days later, marking the first win against the Wildcats since 2006, and followed that up with another 2-1 result over UC Davis. The Pride has now reached five tallies in the win column in the shortest amount of time since the 2021 season, thanks in part to a couple of rising stars.
Hollister ranks as one of the top goalies in the CAA, pacing the conference in goals against average (1.366) and save percentage (.804). Her performances are highlighted at the national level as well, cracking the top-15 in both categories.
Karoff sits in a tie for fourth in the conference in goals, with four in the early season. Compared to last season, when the senior defender had five goals, she is well on track to surpass her 2024 tally.
On the whole, the Pride are scoring at a higher clip than a year ago. Already reaching 14 tallies, Hofstra is only three goals away from last year's total of 17.
Not just that, but Hillary Fitts’ side has another player with three goals – Jaime Lewis. Outside of the top scorer last season (Karoff), no player had more than two goals, but in steps Lewis, who already has three this year and has pushed past her career-high of two in the previous two years.
With a high-powered offense and a fortified defense, the Pride will look to continue its hot start to the season when it hosts Drexel in the opening game of the CAA conference season on Friday, September 26, at 3 p.m.