Hofstra, Charleston Advance in CAA Women's Soccer Championship
RICHMOND, Va. (October 26, 2018) – Hofstra and College of Charleston advanced to the CAA Women’s Soccer Championship semifinals with First Round victories on Friday. Third-seeded Hofstra defeated No. 6 Delaware, 1-0, while No. 4 Charleston outlasted fifth-seeded Drexel, 3-2, in double overtime.
The win sends Hofstra into the CAA semifinals, where the Pride will face No. 2 seed Northeastern on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. ET in Boston, Mass., in a rematch of last year’s championship match.
Charleston will meet No. 1 seed James Madison on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in Harrisonburg, Va.
Hofstra (13-5-1), the defending CAA champions, made a 33
rd-minute goal from Sabrina Bryan stand up in collecting its second consecutive shutout win. Bryan’s left-footed shot into the lower left corner was her CAA-leading 10
th goal of the year. Earlier in the week, Bryan was named All-CAA First Team.
The Hofstra tandem of Jenna Borresen and Ashley Wilson earned the shutout, the seventh of the year for Hofstra. Borresen made two saves in the first half, while Wilson did not face a shot on net in the final 45 minutes.
The Pride put nine shots on goal in the match, with Delaware freshman Kam Stabelin turning in eight saves.
Delaware’s season comes to a close at 4-12-2.
Charleston (11-7-1) took an early lead in its win as CAA Player of the Year Laura Ortega tallied her ninth goal of the season in the sixth minute of play. The Cougars doubled their advantage just over seven minutes into the second half, as Maddy Brill-Edwards handled a cross from Alyssa Beck, converting from six yards out.
Drexel cut its deficit in half in the 70
th minute as Morgan Rees volleyed in an effort that Shaelyn McCarty bent in from the wing and was palmed out by Charleston keeper Meredith Holton.
The Dragons knotted the match with just three minutes left in regulation. Rees left a ball for Kiera Hennessy, whose shot from 25 yards scraped just under the crossbar to force overtime.
After a scoreless first overtime period, Charleston caught Drexel with a counter in the 105
th minute, finding Ortega with a flick-on at midfield where she was able to round Drexel keeper Libby Baeza in a 1-on-1 situation and pot the game-winning goal from 15 yards. The game-winner moved Ortega into a tie with Bryan for the CAA lead in goals.
CofC’s goalkeeping tandem of Genevieve Henderson and Holton made five saves in the win, while Baeza turned aside seven Charleston attempts for the Dragons.
Drexel’s season ends with a 7-7-5 record.