Hofstra seeks repeat NCAA berth

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The Hofstra women’s soccer team is looking to keep momentum this fall off a successful 2015 season that saw the Pride reach the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history.

Hofstra captured the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) regular- season title and earned an at-large bid into the NCAAs following a heartbreaking overtime loss to James Madison in the semifinals. The Pride advanced past Georgetown before falling to eventual Final Four participant Rutgers in the second round to finish the season at 13-6-2.

“We have to challenge ourselves to play our best,” said 11th-year Hofstra head coach Simon Riddiough. “If we do that we believe we can get back to the NCAA Tournament.”

Hofstra graduated three-time reigning CAA Player of the Year Leah Galton, who finished as the Pride’s all-time leading points leader with 122. Galton is now starring for Sky Blue FC of the National Women’s Soccer League and was recently called up to play with the England national team.

Red-shirt senior midfielder Jill Mulholland will look to fill in some of the offensive punch lost from Galton after earning first team All CAA honors last year. The MacArthur High School product and three-time All-County selection finished second on the team in goals with seven following two injury-plagued seasons in 2013 and 2014.

“She’s a super senior so with that comes some more leadership,” said Riddiough of Mulholland, who scored two goals in Hofstra’s 2-0 win against Boston University on Aug. 26.  “She has been a great leader on and off the field.”

Riddiough also has high hopes for junior forward Kristin Desmond, who tallied 18 points as a sophomore. The former Long Island player of the Year out of Northport High School was named an honorable mention preseason All-CAA selection.

Senior forward Kerri Baum, a graduate of Kennedy High School in Bellmore, has received some minutes on the attack early in the campaign. The Merrick native played her first two years on the collegiate level across the street from Hofstra at Nassau Community College and was seventh leading scoring in nation for junior college level in 2014. 

Long Beach native Emily Agudelo anchors the defense and was named to the preseason All-CAA team entering her senior campaign. The 2012 Long Beach High School graduate competed with the Columbia national team last winter as it geared up for the Summer Olympics. 

“Emily is a tremendously gifted technical player,” said Riddiough of Agudelo. “She is also tremendously quick.” 

Hofstra’s backline has a heavy Nassau County presence with Clarke High School product Madeline Anderson earning second-team conference accolades as a freshman. Junior goalie Jenna Borresen, a former East Meadow High School standout, will compete for time in net and can also play the field if needed. The starting goalie spot has been split early in the season by senior Friederike Mehring and red-shirt sophomore Ashley Wilson, a former keeper at North Shore High School.

Riddiough is also looking for production from the twin sister combo of Katie and Kelly Gerdes. The Wantagh natives were part of MacArthur’s 2011 state championship team with Mulholland and have battled injuries so far in their Hofstra careers. Kelly Gerdes made her collegiate debut on defense against Buffalo after missing the last two years due to two ACL tears while Katie Gerdes missed the end of her freshman season before starting every game last fall and tallying four points.

“They are two very gifted players,” said Riddiough of the Gerdes duo. “Katie is a very explosive and a cannonball out there while Kelly is a bit more of a physical player.”

Hofstra is vying for its third NCAA Tournament appearance in a five-year span this fall and Riddiough credits much of his program’s recent success to associate head coach Tobias Bischof, a Long Beach resident and Germany native who has been on the Pride sidelines since 2011. Former Hofstra goalie Emily Morphitis, who led the Pride to a 2012 CAA title, also joined Riddiough’s staff this season after two seasons as an assistant coach at Northwestern State in Louisiana.

Hofstra captured two wins in its first three games against Buffalo and Boston University with the only setback coming to defending national champion Penn State. The Pride’s next home game is slated for Sept. 10 against Army West Point at 1 p.m. The CAA opener is set for Oct. 7 versus Elon in a 7 p.m. kickoff.