After tying the match up early in the second half, Northeastern women’s soccer  (1-8-6, 1-3-3 CAA) lost 2-1 to the Hofstra Pride (6-2-6, 4-1-2 CAA) Oct. 10 at Parsons Field. With the end of the season looming, Northeastern was eager for a win, but the Huskies weren’t able to find the back of the net. Despite the loss, the team still has a shot at CAA championships, but will need to turn things around for the remainder of the season. 

As the first half began, Hofstra dominated possession, but the game evened out after the first five minutes. The ball stayed centered in the midfield as both teams struggled to move the ball forward. In the 13th minute, senior forward Avery LeVangie sprinted to apply pressure on freshman goalkeeper Synne Danielsen and almost won the ball, but Danielsen cleared it out just in time. Three minutes later, the Pride put a cross into the box, immediately followed by a free kick, but both were cleared out by the Huskies. 

In the 21st minute, senior forward Mathilde Braithwaite put another dangerous cross into the box, but it was saved with a dive forward by graduate student goalkeeper Sophie Theresia Augustin. Northeastern responded in the 25th minute with a diagonal ball down the line from LeVangie to graduate student midfielder Bri Jablonowski, but Danielsen came off her line to intercept. Two minutes later, Hofstra countered with a ball down the right sideline for graduate student forward Ellie Gough, who dribbled towards goal but shot right into Augustin’s hands. 

In the 32nd minute, junior forward Lauren Ahles got the first shot of the game for the Huskies, dribbling down the right sideline and shooting just wide of the left goal post. In the 37th minute, Northeastern produced a sequence of threatening opportunities around Hofstra’s box. Graduate student defender Addison Davis placed two balls towards goal that were deflected, and the ball ricocheted near the net with no conversion. The ball was then crossed in by fifth-year midfielder and captain Jessie Hunt, but got deflected out for a goal kick. Northeastern had connections around the box and great possession in the attacking third, but the scoreboard remained empty. 

With 45 seconds left in the half, a cross from Hunt bounced around the box and both teams jostled for possession. The Huskies fired multiple shots, but consistently found Hofstra’s defenders before reaching the net. With eight seconds remaining, Hunt took a free kick right outside the box, which deflected off Hofstra’s defense once again, and with that, the half ended 0-0.

Neither team had many shots on goal in the first 45 minutes, so both were eager to generate more opportunities in the second half. In the 46th minute, graduate student forward Sofie Fox dribbled through defenders and skillfully cut the ball back in the box to get a shot off, but hit the post. Two minutes later, graduate student defender Faith Rosenblatt followed up with a free kick outside the box, which lofted into the feet of junior forward Maggie Cochran, who nailed it just over the crossbar.

After 51 minutes of action with no results, both teams managed to connect the dots — and quickly. Hunt sent a soaring ball to Cochran wide, who dropped it back to senior defender Katherine Marchesseault to put it towards net, but it was cleared. Two minutes later, a ball from junior midfielder Thorhildur Thorhallsdottir sailed across the net to Braithwaite, who tapped it past Augustin to put the Pride up 1-0. Northeastern quickly retaliated with a cross from deep by Cochran to Hunt, who placed it into the net in the 56th minute to tie the game at 1-1.

Play picked up speed on both sides with relentless offensive attempts from Hunt. In the 61st minute, Hunt played a short corner to Fox, which went out for a second corner. Hunt played the next one long, which found a couple heads in the box, and then Fox shot it over the bar. Marchesseault took a free kick near half towards Hunt at the top of the box, who got a head on it but found the hands of Danielsen.

In the 67th minute, sophomore defender Sasha McTiffin placed a floating ball into Thorhallsdottir, who volleyed it into the left corner to put Hofstra up 2-1. Two minutes later, Hofstra almost got another off a corner from Thorhallsdottir, but it was punched out by Augustin. Junior midfielder Aimee Hodgson got the rebound and sent it back in, but Augustin pulled off a diving save to block. In the 73rd minute, Hodgson nailed a shot from outside the box, sending Augustin diving and just missing the top right corner. 

In the 78th minute, Cochran dribbled down the line and played into the middle to LeVangie, who shot wide and high. The intensity picked up as the Huskies looked to tie it up again before the final whistle. Hofstra moved the ball more in Northeastern’s half, looking to solidify the win. In the 81st minute, junior midfielder Thea Bergsten had a dangerous corner into the box, but Augustin grabbed it from the mix. Both teams came out of the shuffle with a yellow card.

In the 85th minute, Cochran cut into the middle to get a look on goal, but the shot sailed into the hands of Danielsen. Two minutes later, Thorhallsdottir sent a well-placed through ball to junior midfielder Millie Davies, but her shot went over the crossbar. With one minute left, Hunt took the last corner of the game, which was headed out by graduate student defender Jayden Newkirk for a goal kick. With that last opportunity, the game ended 2-1.

Northeastern later got their first win of the season away against Drexel Oct. 13, with a goal from Hunt in the 41st minute. Hunt was assisted by Rosenblatt, and took on two defenders at the top of the box to find the upper left corner of the net. The Huskies will take on the Campbell Camels Oct. 20 at Parsons Field.