Hempstead, NY- Hofstra will make an appearance in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship for the sixth consecutive season when the fourth-seeded Pride takes on top-seeded Drexel in a semifinal matchup Saturday afternoon. Game time at Drexel's Buckley Field is set for noon.

The Pride (12-7, 5-3 CAA) has qualified for the tournament every season since 2004 and enters with momentum against a Drexel (17-2, 7-1) squad ranked 10th nationally. Hofstra defeated Towson in the regular season finale and has won seven of its last eight games.

Hofstra is also ranked 20th in the latest NCAA Division I RPI Report, dated November 3. The ranking is the highest in school history, topping 2005 and 2006 when the team peaked at No. 21 in the final RPI report of the season.

Drexel's offense was the conference's most potent during the regular season. The Dragons scored 23 more goals than the next closest opponent in the nine-time CAA, averaging 3.89 goals per game. Leading the way is conference leading scorer Christina Mastropaolo, who tallied 27 goals. Teammate Susan Ciufo's 19 goals placed her third in the conference.

Sophomore standout Genna Kovar counters for the Hofstra offense. The Hampton Bays, NY native finished fourth with her team-best 15 goals. Kovar and junior Amy-Lee Levey, who compiled a career-high nine goals, will challenge a Dragons defense that shutout three opponents this season. Goalkeeper Jenna Phillips finished second in the CAA with a 1.66 goals against average.

Hofstra goalkeeper Amanda Heyde finished strong after winning the Pride's early season open competition for the starting spot. The sophomore picked up the win in relief after coming on at halftime in a victory against Virginia Commonwealth University. Heyde then started the last seven games, going 5-1 in that span to finish with an 8-4 record and a 2.44 GAA.

The Pride gets another chance to knock off the Dragons. Drexel, ranked 11th at the time, won the regular season meeting, 7-3, at Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium Sept. 26. Hofstra will also be looking for its first CAA Championship victory since a semifinal win in 2006. Hofstra has lost by a single goal in its past four conference tournament defeats.

Third-seeded James Madison takes on second-seeded Delaware in the other semifinal game Saturday at 2:30 p.m.