Brookline, Mass. (Nov. 6) - Erin Pardini scored from a near-impossible angle from outside the left edge of the penalty box with 2:39 left in the first overtime as the third-seeded UNC Wilmington Women's Soccer team defeated Hofstra 2-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals on Friday afternoon.
With the loss, the Pride sees its season come to a close at 10-6-3 overall. UNC Wilmington improves to 12-7-1 and moves on to the CAA championship game on Sunday against the winner of the James Madison-Northeastern game.
Pardini's goal was the first shot in a span of 30 minutes for the Seahawks, as Hofstra took the final nine shots of regulation. Pardini scored her goal after turning the corner along the left sideline, and just before reaching the end line, she sent a cross into the goalmouth area that went over the head of junior goalkeeper Krysten Farriella (Lake Ronkonkoma, NY) and tucked into the side netting inside the right post for her second goal of the season.
The game began with Hofstra dominating possession in the first 15 minutes, and had a pair of decent scoring chances, as junior forward Salma Tarik (Bellmore, NY) missed just wide twice from the top of the 18-yard box. UNC Wilmington then made four early substitutions which quickly made a difference, as reserve forward Stephanie Rose got behind the Hofstra defense for a breakaway that was stopped by Farriella.
Moments later, though, Rose took a pass from reserve midfielder Megan Novak at the top of the 18-yard box, and laid it back to reserve midfielder Meagan Simeone, who cracked a 25-yard shot inside the right post for her third goal of the year at the 16:22 mark.
Hofstra was able to swing the momentum back its way, as junior midfielder Tiffany Yovino (Holtsville, NY) beat UNC Wilmington goalkeeper Caitlin Hunter with a header from 15 yards out, but Seahawk defender Jen Ludemann retreated to the goal line to clear the ball away in the 26th minute.
A minute later, though, the Pride found its equalizer, as freshman midfielder Danielle Murino (Bohemia, NY), who making her first career start, played a low cross from the left sideline through the middle of the penalty area. Tarik tried to get a shot off from straight on and couldn't reach the ball, but the unintentional decoy proved to be effective, as the ball rolled through to the weak side, where sophomore forward Laura Greene (Holbrook, NY) was waiting all by herself. Greene then took a 10-yard shot that Hunter dove to her right and got a hand on, but the ball had just enough force to get through and cross over the line with 17:51 left in the opening half for her third goal of the season, evening the score at 1-1.
Murino then nearly gave the Pride the lead in the closing moments of the first half, as she took a short pass from Greene and dribbled past a pair of UNC Wilmington defenders to get a clean look from 20 yards. Murino then cracked a dipping shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced straight down, but did not cross the line as the score remained deadlocked 1-1 going into intermission.
Hofstra had a golden opportunity in the 68th minute, as Greene found Tarik all alone in front of the goal from 10 yards out. Tarik settled the ball, but mis-hit her first attempt as the ball popped into the air in front of her. She then took a second try and toe-poked a shot towards the right post, but Hunter dove to make the save.
Hofstra kept the pressure on down the stretch of regulation, as Tarik then cracked a 20-yard shot in the 75th minute that Hunter dove to her left to stop, and two minutes later junior forward Kayla Pifer (State College, PA) lined a shot from almost the same spot on the field that curved about a foot wide of the right post. In the 84th minute, Yovino found Tarik with a cross in front of the far post, but Tarik couldn't quite get her foot around the ball and pushed it just wide. Tarik then blasted a 25-yard shot in the 86th minute that Hunter tipped up in the air in front of the crossbar and caught before Hofstra could get to the rebound. In the 89th minute, sophomore midfielder Courtney Breen (Hicksville, NY) headed a free kick just wide as Hofstra finished regulation with a 21-8 shot advantage.
Hofstra finished with a 21-9 edge in shots and a 3-1 edge in corners. Hunter had eight saves in goal for the Seahawks, and the UNC Wilmington defenders added a team save, while Farriella had three saves for the Pride.
The championship game will take place at Parsons Field on Sunday at 1 p.m., with the winner earning the CAA title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
