HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Behind another huge second-half push, the No. 25 Hofstra University women cruised past Yale in a non-conference contest at the Hofstra Soccer Stadium Sunday, 4-0.
The Pride claimed its fourth consecutive win and third shutout in the last four contests, improving to 7-1 on the season. Yale dropped to 0-6. Hofstra has outscored opponents, 12-1 in its last four meetings.
The hosts moved to 4-0 against Ivy League opponents this season and has taken down the #1 (Brown), #4 (Yale), #5 (Columbia) and #7 (Penn) teams in the league’s preseason poll.
Hofstra dominated the Bulldogs from start to finish, racking up a season-high 27 shots, 13 in the first half and 14 in the second. Hofstra put 14 of those opportunities on goal, while the Bulldogs managed to only get two looks, both in the first half.
Senior forward Miri Taylor, who recorded her second multi-goal performance of the season, posted two goals and one assist for a season- and team-high five points. Hofstra also got multi-point performances from fifth-year forward Lucy Shepherd and junior defender, Anja Suttner, who contributed with one goal and one assist each. Fifth-years midfielders Jordan Littleboy and Amanda Ebbesson registered one assist, as Ebbesson’s was her second straight match and third overall recording at least one point for Hofstra.
The Blue and Gold put the pedal to the metal early as Shepherd took a pass from outside the box by Ebbesson, made a move to put the Yale goalkeeper off balance, and finished with her left foot in the seventh minute. After opportunities by Louise Hayden and Ellen Halseth, Yale had its only two chances of the match with back-to-back looks by Tina Teik and Giana Pittaro near the 15-minute mark.
The Pride combined for five more opportunities during the first 13 minutes out of the second half. Taylor doubled the Hofstra lead in the 60th minute after finishing to the lower left corner of the target with passes from Shepherd and Littleboy. The effort sparked a rally for Hofstra as Suttner tallied her first goal of the season in the 63rd minute, volleying in a corner kick by Taylor for a 3-0 advantage.
A little over four minutes Suttner delivered a free kick over the head of Taylor, who flicked in her team-leading eighth goal for the final score.
Despite not recording a save, goalkeepers Skylar Kuzmich (76:21) and Avery Holden (13:39) combined for a shutout, marking Hofstra’s conference-leading fifth of the season.
Hofstra will hit the road to face its fifth Ivy League opponent of the season, Princeton University Thursday at 7 p.m. The Tigers were third in the Ivy preseason rankings.
