TOWSON, Md. – Friday's conference opener between Towson University and Hofstra was the first Colonial Athletic Association field hockey game of the year and ended in a 3-1 loss for the Tigers.
 
Towson entered the game 1-7 with hopes of earning the first conference win since 2011 and held the possibility of doing so until two late goals pushed the Pride ahead. The Tigers fall to 1-8, 0-1 CAA while Hofstra moves to 3-9, 1-0 CAA.
 
How it Happened

• While most of the first period was dominated by back and forth possessions, Towson did get on the board first in the 20th minute.
• Sophomore Kendra Sykes found herself in perfect position just outside the net and ripped her shot into the left post to take the lead, her first goal of the year.
• It was not long after that the Pride responded, tying the game up 1-1 with just three minutes until halftime.
• In the first half both teams had only three shots, mid-field turnovers and restarts caused long possession with each team without much offensive action.
• The second half continued very similarly to the first with long periods of ball running and not too many shots.
• Hofstra eventually broke the stalemate in the 58th minute off a penalty corner and responded just one minute later with another goal off a corner.
• Neither team was explosive in the second have either but the Pride did get off three shots in the final 35 minutes.
• Freshman goalkeeper Mackenzie Peacock finished with two saves while Hofstra's rookie grabbed one.

Behind the Numbers

• The last time Towson defeated Hofstra was 2011, the same season the Tigers won their last CAA game.
• Three different players were pulled for card warnings, including two green cards, for the Pride, leaving several minutes with a short-staffed defense that the home team was unable to break.
• This is Towson's sixth game this season with a decision of two or less points.
• Freshman Cami Larsson scored the two Hofstra goals off penalty corners, she now leads the team with four goals

 
From the Coach
"We knew going in that the only time they score really is on corners," said head coach E.A. Jackson. "Our game plan was to try and keep the ball out and not let them have an opportunity to score on corners, ultimately we decided to cover the top of the circle which is the most dangerous space to cover and they found her (Larsson) and she ripped a really great two shots."
 
"I think our youth shined through in the second half and we were really confident after the first half, we played really well," Jackson said. "I think we went in and maybe thought that we had already won the game, there was a definite shift in energy once they scored that first goal, I think an area we can grow is in that sense of resiliency. Today definitely showed us some chinks in our armor that we need to tighten up on."
 
Up Next
Towson travels to Boston, Massachusetts tomorrow to take on another CAA foe Northeastern on Sunday at 1 p.m.