Elon Women’s Soccer Falls in CAA Opener to Hofstra

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s soccer team suffered a 4-1 setback in its Colonial Athletic Association opener to league preseason favorite Hofstra on Friday, Sept. 26, at Rudd Field.

The Pride’s (6-4, 1-0 CAA) Sam Scolarici scored her league-leading 11th and 12th goals of the season in the first half. Hofstra’s Leah Galton, the 2014 CAA Preseason Player of the Year, also added another goal in the opening stanza to help pull away from the Phoenix (4-5, 0-1 CAA) in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

“I thought we had a whole lot of very good moments in this game,” said Elon head coach Chris Neal. “There were some critical moments defensively that we need to learn and gain experience from. I thought we panicked a little defensively when we went up 1-0 and Hofstra was able to get their foot on the ball.”

Elon’s Alissa Pantuosco netted her first goal of the season in the ninth minute after scoring on a rebound off a Grace Bennett shot. The score gave the Phoenix a 1-0 lead after the opening 10 minutes.

Scolarici tied the game in the 17th minute with a goal from 10-15 yards out after playing a ball from Amber Stobbs.

Galton put the Pride ahead with her seventh goal of the season in the 23rd minute after racing down the left side of the field and pushing the ball past keeper Sydney Branson to make the score 2-1.

Scolarici added her second goal of the match on a breakaway in the 31st minute to put the maroon and gold into a two-score deficit, 3-1, going into the half.

Hofstra put the game out of reach in the 76th minute as Lulu Echeverry floated a ball over the head of keeper Kate Murphy from 15 yards out that gave the Pride a 4-1 cushion.

Hofstra ended the night with a 10-6 advantage on shots including six on frame compared to two for the Phoenix. Elon had a 6-3 advantage in corners.

Elon returns to action on Sunday, Sept. 28, to host Northeastern at 1 p.m.