ELON, N.C. – Elon University women's soccer battled back from a 2-0 deficit with a goal midway through the second half and two early first-half tallies to take a 3-2 lead, but the Hofstra Pride came back to score twice in the middle of the second period to take a 4-3 win on Sunday, Oct. 14, at Rudd Field.
 
After the Pride scored twice in the first 15 minutes, Carson Jones' third goal of the season in the 24th minute brought the Phoenix within one, trailing 2-1 at halftime. Elon came flying out of the gate at the start of the second half as Kara Kimberl and Hannah Doherty in the first four minutes of the period to put the Phoenix ahead, 3-2.
 
However, Hofstra would score in the 64th and 68th minute to retake the lead and earn the 4-3 victory. The Phoenix falls to 3-8-3 overall and 1-5-0 in CAA action, while Hofstra improves to 11-5-1 overall and its CAA record to 5-2-1 this season.
 
"We knew coming in that Hofstra was a team that we hadn't beaten before as a program," said head coach Neil Payne. "We found ourselves down in the first minute and then two goals down not long after that. For as disappointed as we were that the match started that way, we could have easily thrown in the towel, but we didn't. Our players showed a ton of resolve and character, and we got a good goal right before halftime. Then, we came out in the second half and we were good. We were fighting and scrapping for every ball, we fought our way back to get the lead, but then they were able to come back. They are an experienced team that is ready for that kind of adversity and they recognize those moments. We're disappointed with three of the goals we gave up and if we don't give those up we get a better results. Overall, the vast majority of the players had a good performance."
 
HIGHLIGHTS
Hofstra took a 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the contest as Sabrina Bryan scored off a Jenn Buoncore pass just 50 seconds into the game. Lucy Porter then put the Pride up, 2-0, in the 15th minute as she took a pass from Bryan and hit a shot into an open net.
 
The Phoenix responded less than 10 minutes later as Carson Jones scored off a corner kick to cut into Hofstra's lead 2-1 in the 24th minute. The maroon and gold used the momentum to continue to pepper the Pride's goal over the remainder of the half, and the score stayed 2-1 at the break. Elon has a 9-8 lead in the shot count at the half.
 
Elon came out firing to open the second half. Kara Kimberl scored her first-career goal just over a minute into the half to level the match at 2-2. Hannah Doherty then gave the Phoenix a 3-2 lead in the 49th minute as she scored on her corner kick, beating the goalkeeper on the near post.
However, Bryan would tie the score in the 63rd minute with a 25-yard shot and Porter followed in the 68th minute with her second goal of the day for the Pride as she put in her own rebound for the game-winner.
 
Hofstra outshot Elon 20-14 in the match and had an 8-6 edge in the corner count.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix begins a three-match road stretch to end the regular season on Thursday night, Oct. 18, with a trek to James Madison. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. in Harrisonburg.