TOWSON, Md. - The Tiger women's soccer team (3-5-2, 0-1 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)) travels north to Northeastern on Friday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. before returning south, with a stop at Hofstra on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. for a pair of CAA contests.

Towson dropped its only match of the week last week, 4-2, to James Madison. Senior Katie Ponce and sophomore Marissa Green each tallied a goal for the Tigers. Green's score was the first of her career. Ponce's three goals and one assist lead Towson (7pts). Sophomore Natalia Pinkney and freshmen Gabby Sciricia are second on the team with two goals and two assists apiece (6pts each). Senior Erin Quinn had another solid game in net for the Tigers, making eight saves against JMU. She has a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.26, a save percentage of .790, and 49 saves on the season.

Against the Huskies
Towson leads series 8-5-1 but is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss in 2013. The last time out against Northeastern (7-3-2, 2-0-0 CAA), Natalia Pinkney and Taylor Knier each scored for Towson in the Tigers' heartbreaking overtime loss to Northeastern, 3-2, on Oct. 17, 2013 at Tiger Soccer Complex. The Huskies' Nicole Wilkins and Hanna Terry scored the first two goals before Pinkney's shot rattled off the crossbar into the net for Towson. Knier's set piece goal knotted the score at 2-2 to send the game into overtime before Shayna Blackwood's golden goal. Overall, the Tigers have won the first four matches of series, but the Huskies have won last two. The one tie in the rivalry occurred in 2001 (1-1).

Ranked second in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Mid-Atlantic Region poll, the Huskies have played a strong schedule and have come out on the better end of their non-conference games. Two of the three losses were in overtime, and the third came to a top-25 team (No. 25 Boston College). NU also claimed a 1-0 win over local rival and national contender Boston University. Northeastern comes into Friday's game on a three-match win streak. Hannah Lopiccolo leads the Huskies with four goals and three assists for 11 points. There are three Huskies tied with six points apiece. Paige Burnett remains a stalwart in goal, with a 0.24 GAA (fifth in the NCAA) and a save percentage of .880 (18th in the NCAA). She has recorded eight shutouts on the year.


Against the Pride
This series dates back to 1996 with Hofstra (6-5, 1-1 CAA) in the lead, 16-3-1. The Tigers won first two matchups in 1996 and 1997, and barring the draw in 2001 in the America East Tournament after which Hofstra advanced penalty kicks and the 3-2 Towson win in 2011 at home, it has been all Pride since - including the teams' last meeting. With her goal in the 52nd minute of a 2-1 loss to Hofstra on Oct. 20, 2013, Emily Banes became Towson's career leader in goals. Banes' tally came at 51:41 to open scoring. Hofstra's Sam Scolarici scored both of the Pride's goals, both times with assists from Leah Galton.

The Pride, who stand 10th in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Mid-Atlantic Region poll, has faced three teams either ranked or receiving votes in the national polls, falling to No. 21 West Virginia and No. 2 Virginia and defeating Duke, who was receiving votes. Hofstra will face James Madison on Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. Scolarici has been an offensive machine for the Pride, scoring 12 goals with two assists for a team-best 26 points. She ranks in the top six in the nation in total goals (third), goals per game (fourth), total points (fifth),  and points per game (sixth). Galton has second-most goals on the team with seven. Friederike Mehring has started all 11 games and as a 2.00 GAA and a save percentage of .630.