Miri Taylor connected for the game-winner for Hofstra. (Photo courtesy of Hofstra SID)

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Hofstra University women clinched the top seed in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship, defeating William & Mary Tribe, 2-1, at Martin Family Stadium Sunday.

Hofstra (12-3-2, 7-0-2), which secured the CAA’s top seed for the second time in three years, received a quarterfinal round bye and will move onto the CAA semifinals. The Pride will host the winner of No. 4 seeded Northeastern University and No. 5 Elon Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. The Tribe dropped to 5-11 overall and 3-5-1 in the conference.

The Pride extended its unbeaten streak to 13 matches, the longest since it compiled a 14-game unbeaten streak in 2017.

The visitors opened up scoring in the 21st minute when junior Lucy Porter intercepted a pass near midfield and found classmate Sabrina Bryan. Bryan sprinted up the middle, crossed over a defender and used her non-dominant foot to hit the back of the mesh for the seventh time this season.

The Tribe knotted the score in the 39th minute taking advantage of a Hofstra own goal.

Four minutes into the second half, Hofstra took the lead for good when sophomore Miri Taylor crossed up a Tribe player and left-footed a goal from the top of the penalty area off a Porter assist. It was Taylor’s fifth goal in her last six matches.

Porter has 35 points this year, tied for fourth all-time in a single season with Carlene Wawrzonek (1994 season). She needs two more to equal Sam Scolarici, who posted 37 points in 2014.

Shortly after, the Tribe had a one-on-one opportunity and freshman goalkeeper Skylar Kuzmich altered the shooter enough to force the shot inches right of the post.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.