Broderdop's Second-Half Game-Winner Lifts Elon Past Hofstra, 1-0
Rob Washburn
Box Score
TOWSON, Md. (April 15, 2021) – Sophomore Claire Broderdop scored her first goal of the season off a rebound with 12:06 remaining to lift Elon to a 1-0 victory over three-time defending champion Hofstra in the first semifinal game of the CAA Women’s Soccer Championship presented by Primis on Thursday evening at Tiger Field.
The Phoenix (5-3) advance to the CAA title game for the first time, where it will meet either Northeastern or UNCW at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Hofstra, which is ranked No. 23 nationally, suffered its first setback of the season, falling to 7-1-1.
The game-winning goal was set up when Beky Myers’ 22-yard shot smacked off the crossbar and landed at the feet of Broderdop, who sent the rebound past Skylar Kuzmich from eight yards away to break the 0-0 tie.
From there, Elon’s defense withstood a late barrage of shots from a Hofstra offense that leads the nation in scoring with 4.0 goals per game. The Pride finished with a 16-6 advantage in shots, but behind a season-high seven saves from Elon goalkeeper McKenna Dalfonso, Hofstra was held without a goal for the first time this year. The shutout was the fifth of the season for Dalfonso.
Defenses dominated in a scoreless opening half. Hofstra had a 5-2 edge in shots and put two of them on net.
Elon nearly broke the deadlock with 19 minutes left in regulation. Broderdrop received the ball at the top of the box, turned and fired a shot that caromed off the crossbar.
Hofstra got its best scoring opportunity just over a minute later when Lucy Shepherd broke free and had a one-on-one opportunity, but Dalfonso charged out and deflected the shot attempt. Shepherd finished with a game-high six shots, with four of them on goal.