POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Coming in with an all-time mark of 0-6-1 versus Hofstra, the Red Foxes came out Sunday afternoon looking to reverse history. Reverse it they did, as Marist sprung out to a 4-0 lead before holding on for a 4-2 victory over a physical Hofstra squad. Junior Rycke Guiney (Naperville, Ill.) led Marist as she scored the team's first two goals. Junior Alycia Cartica (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) and senior Chelsea Botta (East Longmeadow, Mass.) joined Guiney in the scoring column.
In their last matchup on Friday at Penn, the Red Foxes got off to a fast start with a goal at 9:25; on Sunday, they scored early as well, as Guiney staked the team to a lead at 19:53. The junior controlled a loose ball atop the 18-yard box, spun off her defender and rocketed a shot from just inside the box to beat the Hofstra goalie to the top left corner.
Marist stayed on the offensive throughout the majority of the first half, as they had four more shots, including two dangerous opportunities in the final 10 minutes of play. Off of a Jessica Arabia (Naperville, Ill.) cross, Cartica out-jumped her defender and nearly missed putting her header attempt on goal. Less than seven minutes later, with just 2:40 on the clock, Guiney tested the Pride's defense on a strong corner kick as Arabia initially had a header shot blocked before freshman Kristen Lopes (Ocean, N.J.) corralled the rebound and got a shot on goal, that unluckily for Marist was saved by a Hofstra defender on the line.
At the half, the Red Foxes were outshooting the Pride 7-4, with a 5-1 advantage in shots on goal.
In the second half, Guiney extended Marist's lead to two goals just 8:18 into the second half as she blasted a free kick over the goalkeeper from 30 yards out.
A little over four minutes later, the Red Foxes would go up 3-0 on the strength of a Samantha Panzner (Livingston, N.J.) lead pass to Cartica up the middle of the field. With a 1-on-1 break, Hofstra's goalkeeper, Emily Morphitis, indecisively came out a few steps and Cartica was able to put a shot in over her head. This goal was the first for the junior as a Red Fox and came two days after her first Marist assist at Penn.
Marist's fourth goal came in the 74th minute as Arabia played a high corner kick into the box, where a leaping Botta powered the ball into the back of the net.
Over the last 10 minutes of play, Hofstra was able to register two goals on the scoreboard to make the game final at 4-2.
For the game, Hofstra outshot Marist 16-12, though the victorious Red Foxes placed nine of their shots on goal versus six for the Pride. In goal, sophomore Andrea Wicks (East Northport, N.Y.) earned the victory with four saves in goal.
The Red Foxes, who improved to 5-2 with the win, will be in action on Friday, Sept. 14 at Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
