University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Take on Northeastern and Hofstra in Final Two Games of Regular Season
10/23/2014 11:48:00 AM | Women's Soccer
NEWARK, Del. – After splitting a pair of home games last weekend, the University of Delaware women's soccer team closes out the regular season this weekend as it travels to Northeastern and Hofstra for two Colonial Athletic Association matchups.
The Blue Hens (7-8-1, 3-3-1 CAA) come into this weekend's contests in sixth place in the CAA standings. Delaware has 10 points in conference play and posseses a three-point lead over seventh-place UNCW. Only the top six teams in the final CAA standings will make it to the conference tournament.
Nikki Adams leads the Blue Hens with four goals this season, while Andi Arnold and Elise Krause each have a team-high four assits.
Scott GrzendaNortheastern (11-4-2, 6-1 CAA) comes into Friday's contest having won seven of its last eight games and is in first place in the CAA. Northeastern possesses the best defense in the country as the Huskies have only allowed four goals all season and lead the country with a .225 goals-against average. Northeastern is 0-4 in games in which they allow a goal.
The Huskies lead the country with 13 shutouts this season and are third in the nation with a .892 save percentage. Goalkeeper Paige Burnett has started every game for Northeastern and has established herself as one of the best goalies in the NCAA.
Offensively, Northeastern is led by Mackenzie Dowd who has recorded five goals on the season, while Hannah Lopiccolo and Carly Wilhelm each have a team-high four assists.
Friday will be the 16th meeting between Delaware and Northeastern. The first meeting took place in 1997 and Delaware leads the all-time series 8-5-2. The Huskies have won two of the last three meetings. The Huskies and Blue Hens split two meetings last season, but Northeastern defeated Delaware on penalty kicks in the CAA Quarterfinals.
Just as the Blue Hens will face one of the best defenses in the country on Friday, Delaware will square off with one of the best offenses in the country on Sunday as they take on Hofstra.
Hofstra (9-6-1, 4-2-1 CAA) comes into this weekend's play in fifth place in the CAA standings. The Pride is three points ahead of Delaware in the current standings. Hofstra is 12th in the country in total goals with 40 and the Pride's Sam Scolarici is sixth in the country with 14 goals on the season. Hofstra is unbeaten in its last four games and will play Drexel Friday night before hosting the Blue Hens Sunday afternoon.
In addition to Scolarici, Leah Galton represents another potent goal scorer for the Pride. Galton is tied for second in the conference in goals with nine this season. Amber Stobbs has registered a team-high five assists for Hofstra.
Sunday will be the 23rd meeting between Hofstra and Delaware. The first meeting between the two schools took place in 1995 and Hofstra leads the all-time series 16-6. The Blue Hens have defeated the Pride just twice since 2001 and Hofstra downed Delaware 2-1 in double overtime in their most recent meeting last season.
The Blue Hens will take on the Huskies at 7 p.m. Friday at Northeastern's Parsons Field and will return to action at Hofstra Sunday at 1 p.m. for the final game of the regular season.
