University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Hofstra
Delaware Falls to Hofstra 4-2 in Final Game of Regular Season, Fall Short of CAA Playoff Berth
10/26/2014 4:01:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The University of Delaware women's soccer team was unable to clinch a berth in the upcoming Colonial Athletic Association Tournament as Hofstra defeated the Blue Hens 4-2 behind three Leah Galton goals Sunday afternoon.
The Blue Hens needed a win or a Towson loss in order to punch their ticket to postseason play but the loss to Hofstra along with Towson's 2-0 win over William & Mary Sunday clinched the sixth and final playoff spot for the Tigers. Delaware and Towson each earned 11 points in league play but the Tigers won the tie-breaker thanks to a 1-0 win over the Blue Hens back on Oct. 17.
Delaware will miss the postseason for the first time in three years, but the Blue Hens finished with seven wins for the fifth consecutive season.
Scott GrzendaHofstra (11-6-1, 6-2-1 CAA) showed why it has one of the best offensive attacks in the country as the Pride scored the first two goals of the game on a pair of Galton scores. Galton gave the Pride the early lead with a goal just 5:55 into the game and then gave Hofstra a 2-0 lead with her 12th goal of the season at the 57:12 mark.
The Blue Hens (7-9-2, 3-4-2 CAA) cut the lead in half on Rachel Vaccaro's fifth goal of the season at the 69:46 mark, but that was as close as the Blue Hens would get.
UD's momentum, however, was thwarted moments later when Sam Scolarici scored her CAA-leading 15th goal of the season to give the Pride a 3-1 lead. Moments later, Galton sealed the game and clinched the hat trick with her third goal of the game, giving Hofstra a 4-1 lead with 12 minutes remaining.
Despite the large deficit, the Blue Hens continued to fight until the final whistle as Natalie Zelenky gave UD its second goal of the game at the 88:27 mark. Mikala Kin was credited with the assist on Zelenky's fifth goal of the season. Vaccaro and Zelenky tied for the team-lead in goals this season with five each.
Hofstra outshot UD 21-10 and the Pride's four goals were the highest single-game total allowed by Delaware this season.
Northeastern, who the Hens tied 2-2 on Friday night, earned the No. 1 seed for the upcoming CAA Tournament, which will begin this Sunday, Nov. 2. James Madison finished as the No. 2 seed followed by Hofstra, William & Mary, Drexel, and Towson.
