All-Americans Miri Taylor and Lucy Porter were among of a host of talented players that paced the Pride women. (Photo courtesy of Hofstra)
The Hofstra University women enjoyed one of their most successful seasons, reaching the second round of the NCAA Division I tournament.
The Pride, which captured the Colonial Athletic Association regular-season title, finished the campaign with the second most wins in program history on the strength of a 17-4-1 record.
Hofstra’s season ended with a 3-0 defeat to the University of South Carolina (13-6-1) in Los Angeles on Nov. 19.
“We gave a very good Gamecock team everything they could handle,” Hofstra head coach Simon Riddiough said. “I am unbelievably proud of this team. I am humbled to be coaching them. These players have set the stone for the future generations of Hofstra programs. We’re going to keep building on it. What this team has managed to accomplish in 4-5 years is something truly special.”
The Pride enjoyed a strong CAA season, finishing second in the league at 6-2-1. The squad went on to win the CAA Championship behind a 2-1 victory over Northeastern University in Elon, N.C. on Nov. 7, its fourth title in the past five seasons. It was the seventh conference crown for Hofstra, which also won titles in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Miri Taylor scored the game-winning goal in the 59th minute as Hofstra rallied from a 1-0 deficit. Lucy Shepherd connected for the equalizer as the Pride earned an automatic NCAA berth.
In the opening round of the Division I tournament, Hofstra scored twice within almost a five-minute span in the first half as the hosts overcame a one hour, 32-minute lightning delay before registering a 3-0 win over Providence College in Hempstead, N.Y. on Nov. 13 as the hosts advanced to the second round for the third time in the last four seasons.
Georgia Brown, Lucy Porter and Taylor found the range for the winners.
Hofstra’s season, however, came to an end with the loss to South Carolina six days later.
The Pride players earned many individual honors.
Taylor and Porter were named All-Americans by the United Soccer Coaches. Taylor, selected as a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, earned All-America honors for the first time in her career, while Porter collected her third successive All-America accolade.
She also was named to the United Coaches’ All-East Region first team, CAA attacking player of the year and All-CAA first team. Taylor posted impressive numbers this season, topping the CAA and setting a Hofstra season record with 45 points on a league-high 17 goals and 11 assists. She sits second in the nation in points (45), third in points per game (2.14), fourth in goals (17), fifth in goals per game (0.81), and 19th in assists (11).
Porter, a third team selection, added to her long resume with United Coaches All-Region first team, CAA midfielder of the year, and All-CAA first team accolades. This season, she compiled seven goals and 11 assists for 25 points, ranking sixth in the conference. Porters 11 assists rank 19th nationally and is tied for the second-highest amount in the CAA.
Hofstra also fared extraordinary well in CAA honors. Three players earned major CAA awards while a total of six garnered All-CAA recognition, it was announced Wednesday morning. Besides the accolades earned by Taylor and Porter. Brown also was named the CAA rookie of the year and was named to the CAA All-Rookie team.
Junior defender Anja Suttner and fifth-year midfielder Jordan Littleboy also collected first team all-conference honors. Brown and Shepherd were named to the second team.
The Pride earned CAA attacking player of the year and midfielder of the year honors for the third successive season while Brown is Hofstra’s third rookie of the year in the last four seasons.
And there was more.
For the first time in program history, two Hofstra players were selected in the National Women’s Soccer League Draft. Lucy Shepherd was selected in the second round and 23rd overall by the Washington Spirit and Miri Taylor was taken in the fourth round and 39th overall by Angel City FC.
Shepherd and Taylor’s selections mark the third and fourth professional draft choices in program history for Hofstra, joining Sue Weber who was a third-round pick of the Boston Breakers in the 2008 Women’s Professional Soccer Draft and Leah Galton who was picked up by Sky Blue FC in the 2016 NWSL Draft.
The Hofstra coaching staff was named the 2021 United Soccer Coaches Women’s East Region coaching staff of the year. The staff included Riddiough, associate head coach Gerry Lucey, and assistant coaches Kelsey Yam and Ruairi McGuinness.
