Hofstra soccer teams eye playoffs

The Hofstra men’s and women’s soccer teams have enjoyed much success the last five years with five NCAA playoff appearances between the two programs. However both teams fell short of their goal in 2008 with disappointing defeats in their respective Colonial Athletic Association tournaments.

Both teams return a large nucleus of talented players and have high aspirations of returning the NCAA College Soccer Cup in November. Both head coaches hope the hard work and sweat preparing for the season in the late summer will lead to high intensity NCAA playoff action in the freezing cold during the height of fall.

Crankshaw leads women

The women’s team is trying to put behind the memories of the end of 2008 when it fell inches short of reaching the College Cup following a 1-0 double overtime setback to Northeastern in the CAA title game in which the Pride hit the crossbar in the closing seconds of regulation. A victory over Northeastern would have catapulted Hofstra into its third NCAA playoff appearance in four years following CAA titles in 2005 and 2007.

Hofstra lost 10 seniors from last season’s 11-8-3 team but also returns a strong core of experienced players including 2008 CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year Jess Crankshaw and junior midfielder Tiffany Yovino, who was one of 45 players named to the Preseason Hermann Trophy Watch List. The Pride also return sophomore midfielders Courtney Breen and Brittany Butts, who were both named to the CAA All-Rookie Team.

Last year’s leading scorer Salma Tarik, a Cairo, Egypt native and current Bellmore resident, also returns, and is expected to be one of the key offensive players after scoring six goals and registering 14 assists last year. “We have some talented players at some key positions,” said Coach Simon Riddiough. “We’re a little light on depth but we have quality.”

One of the Pride’s biggest losses comes in net with the graduation of goalkeeper Krystal Robens, who started the last two seasons and set a program record with 12 shutouts in 2007. The goalie duties will be filled by senior Krysten Farriella, who appeared in five games last season and picked up seven saves in a 2-1 loss to East Carolina.

Coach Riddiough comprised a challenging non-conference schedule that kicked off with games at Richmond and ninth-ranked Virginia. The Pride’s first two home games are scheduled for Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. against Indiana and Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. versus Harvard. “The non-conference schedule is as tough as we’ve ever had so we should be prepared for CAA play,” Riddiough said.

Men relying on depth

The 2008 men’s season featured many positives including a 4-1 upset win at then 13th-ranked Virginia Tech but ended in miserable fashion with a 5-0 defeat to George Mason in the opening round of the CAA Tournament.

Hofstra returns eight starters and has the ability to win the CAA, a feat it accomplished for three straight years from 2004-06. However, to execute this goal the Pride will need to navigate its way through one of the most competitive college soccer conferences in the nation with Hofstra picked to finish eighth in the CAA preseason coaches poll.

Some key players got some valuable summer experience competing in the Player Development League (PDL) including seniors Jamal Neptune (defense), Rory McCrea (midfield) and Bill Pinto (midfield), who helped lead the Ocean City Barons to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup against D.C. United of Major League Soccer. Also competing in the PDL for the Long Island Rough Riders was senior defenseman Richard Martinez, who was named to the league’s All-Conference Team and played for the Puerto Rico National Team in World Cup qualifiers last year.

“I think in my 20 years of coaching I have the most depth this year,” said Coach Richard Nuttall. “We’ve got a lot of experience.”

Another key returning player is senior midfielder Rob Youhill, who along with Martinez was named to the Preseason All-CAA Men’s Soccer team.

The schedule will pose a huge test for the Pride with only five home games and non-conference tilts against Penn State and Ohio State. To prepare for this grueling schedule, Nuttall scheduled an exhibition game against preseason No. 1 St. John’s at Burns Park in Massapequa on Aug. 25 in which Hofstra fell 2-0 after holding the Red Storm scoreless for the first 75 minutes. Hofstra’s first home game isn’t until Oct. 3 when the Pride battle Virginia Commonwealth starting at 7 p.m.

“Testing yourself against the best let’s you know where you’re at,” Nuttall said.

All Pride men’s and women’s soccer games are played at the Hofstra University soccer stadium on the school’s North campus just off Hempstead Turnpike. For further information, call 516 463-TIXX or log onto www.gohofstra.com.