HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – An improbable goal with exactly a minute remaining from
Gabby Hoschek kept the Elon University women's soccer team (6-0-3, 0-0-1 CAA) unbeaten on the season Thursday night, as the Phoenix secured a 2-2 tie at Hofstra (3-1-5, 0-0-1) in its CAA opener.
Hoschek's equalizer came on a free kick from the deep left corner. She sent a ball toward the far side of the goal that caromed off the cross bar and right post before finding the back of the net. The goal was Hoschek's third this season to come directly off a free kick.
Elon had its program-record shutout streak snapped in the second half via a pair of Hofstra goals. The streak ended at just over 716 minutes of game action, just shy of 12 of hours.
Katie Bisgrove made six saves in goal to help the Phoenix earn the tie.
How It Happened
- Elon needed just 63 seconds to score its earliest goal of the campaign. Grace Gelhaus made a run down the left wing before centering the ball to Ashlee Brehio in the box. After taking one touch to control the ball, Brehio fired Elon's first shot of the game toward the goal. The ball took a friendly bounce off a Hofstra defender and beat goalkeeper Lilly Bailey in the left corner for the game's first goal.
- Hofstra responded with chances of its own on the other end of the field. The Pride attempted the next three shots after Brehio's marker, forcing a pair of early Bisgrove stops.
- Bisgrove made her best save of the night in the 23rd minute. Hofstra served a free kick into the box from the left side of the field that Olivia Pearse connected on in the air. She headed the ball toward the left post but Bisgrove made a diving save across the crease to force the ball off the goal line and maintain Elon's clean sheet.
- The Pride forced a fourth Bisgrove save of the opening half in the 29th minute. It was the final shot attempt of the first half by either team.
- Hoschek peppered Bailey in the opening 15 minutes of the second half, putting three shots on target that Hofstra's keeper turned away.
- Hofstra finally scored the first goal against the Phoenix since Aug. 14 in the 74th minute, as Hailey Moschitta tied the contest off assists from Manon Lebargy and Thorhildur Thorhallsdottir.
- In the 84th minute, Isa Murdock had a chance to break the tie. After the getting the ball on Elon's side of the field, she brought it all the way into Hofstra's box before missing just right on a shot from in front of the goal.
- The Pride capitalized on an Elon turnover in the 86th minute, with Mathilde Braithwaite giving Hofstra its first lead of the game.
- Brehio was fouled by a Hofstra defender with 62 seconds remaining to award Hoschek her opportunity on the free kick from the deep left corner. The junior curled the ball into the net for the tying goal directly off the set piece.
- Hoschek's effort was the final shot of the match, which ended in a 2-2 tie.
Notes & Numbers
- Hoschek's tying goal was her fourth tally of the season, three of which have come directly on free kicks. The other two came against Queens on Aug. 28 and South Carolina State on Sept. 10.
- Elon has now scored a goal in the final minute in consecutive games. It was the first goal by the Phoenix in the final minute to earn a win or tie since Lauren McCauley scored with four seconds left at Campbell on Oct. 19, 2023, to give the Phoenix a 1-1 draw in Buies Creek.
- This was Elon's first time coming from behind to tie since that 2023 match at Campbell.
- Hoschek is the first Elon player to reach four goals on the season. She is now tied with Murdock for a team-best 10 points.
- Brehio's goal was her second of the season, both of which have come in the last three contests. The senior has five points in those three games.
- Gelhaus assisted on Brehio's goal for her second helper of the campaign. She now has eight points on the season, surpassing her total of seven from 2024 through Elon's nine games.
- In her return to the net, Bisgrove stopped six Hofstra shots, including four in the first half. It was her fourth outing of the season with six-plus saves.
- Elon's program-record shutout streak came to an end at 716:38 seconds of game time. The streak began on Aug. 14 at VCU and included shutouts in the next seven games for the Phoenix.
- For the first time this season, Elon trailed in a game, as the Pride led for 3:33 between their second goal and Hoschek's tying tally.
- Hoschek paced the Phoenix with five shot attempts on the night, including four in the second half. Brehio (2) and Murdock (2) also took multiple shots for Elon.
- Gelhaus, Hoschek, Jessica Hill and Alexis Pierce all went the full 90 minutes for the Phoenix.
- This was Elon's first tie in its CAA opener since 2017, when the Phoenix and UNCW battled to a 1-1 draw.
- The tie was Elon's first result in six tries in Hempstead, as Hofstra entered the night 5-0-0 all-time against the Phoenix at home.
Up Next
Elon will stay on Long Island for a match Sunday against defending CAA champion Stony Brook. The rematch of last season's CAA semifinal will begin at 12 p.m.
Stay Posted
For further coverage of Elon women's soccer, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonWSoccer), Instagram (elonwsoccer) and Facebook (Elon Women's Soccer).
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