Women’s Soccer Trips Up Late Against Hofstra

The Rutgers women’s team had not lost an August game in over a decade, so needless to say, fans were left stunned when Pride attacker Olivia Pearse struck a beautiful ball from forty yards out past Rutgers redshirt freshman keeper Olivia Bodmer in the 88th minute to give Hofstra a 1-0 lead. The perfectly placed kick was all Hofstra would need as they topped the Knights for the first time in their history (1-4 all-time).

For Rutgers, still without last season’s leading scorer and spark plug Sam Kroeger, it was another frustrating night of offense where the opportunities were bountiful and the regrets many. The Knights would outshoot the Pride 17-8 but only six of Rutgers’s shots were on goal. Scarlet forward Gia Girman had three shots near the net - and three golden opportunities, including one with the keeper out of position - to break the scoreless match but only one of her shots was on goal and that was headed away. Riley Tiernan rocketed a shot off the upper crossbar in the 70th minute that I thought for sure was going in. Freshman forward Ashley Baran, who has shown a nose for the net in her first two matches, was also turned away empty-handed. Sara Brocious had a beautiful shot on goal tipped away by the outstretched hands of the leaping Pride keeper. In total, Mackenzie Sullivan would stop all five shots on goal by the Scarlet Knights.

The Pride also had their own opportunities turned away - with Rutgers goalie Bodmer making a diving stop in the 27th minute. In the 80th minute, Hofstra sent a ball past Bodmer, but defender Emily Mason backed up the goal line and safely cleared the ball.

Hofstra frequently packed in their defenders all game but even so, Rutgers was able to thread the needle with some crisp passing and get clean looks. In the end, though, the Scarlet Knights were unable to finish. Rutgers alum Shea Holland, providing color analysis on BTN+, even noted as the clock wound down that Hofstra would be elated settling for a tie. The Pride had other ideas though.

Before Hofstra’s game-winner, Rutgers brought up their backers and attacked, desperately trying to tally a goal as the clock wound down. Hofstra fended off the attack and used the green grass in front of them to give Pearse the space she needed to send a forty-yard dagger into the hearts of the home crowd.

Rutgers drops to 1-1 on the young season, while Hofstra improves to 1-1.

NOTABLE

• Rutgers led Hofstra, 17-8, in shot attempts but had just a 6-5 edge in shots on goal.
• The loss snapped Rutgers’ 33-match winning streak in games played in August, with the last loss occurring in 2012. It also snapped an 11-match winning streak in non-conference regular-season games dating back to 2021 (courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)

NEXT UP

The Scarlet Knights hit the road for the first time in 2023, traveling to NC State, a ‘22 NCAA Tournament qualifier. The match is Thurs., Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. in Raleigh, North Carolina.