Season Ends with 2-0 Setback at Hofstra in CAA Semifinals

Friday, November 13

Hempstead, N.Y.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

5-10-4

Hofstra

12-7

James Madison

Hofstra

Season Ends with 2-0 Setback at Hofstra in CAA Semifinals

11/13/2015 11:29:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Hofstra scored goals in each half to collect a 2-0 win over James Madison in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association men's soccer championship on Friday night at the Hofstra Soccer Stadium.

Top-seeded Hofstra improved to 12-7 overall and advanced to Sunday's championship match against Delaware. Fifth-seeded JMU ended its season at 5-10-4.

The Pride broke through on top in the 28^th minute when Joseph Holland slipped a ball through the left crease to Mani Walcott for a clean strike from the left side. Hofstra maintained the 1-0 lead through halftime and into the 61^st minute when JMU keeper Kyle Morton came out high to play a ball and a deflection ultimately ended up in the possession of Joseph Holland, who had the easy touch for the open goal and a 2-0 lead.

Morton finished with four saves, the same total as HU keeper Patric Pray. JMU led shots 13-11 but HU tallied eight corner kicks compared to two in the second half for the Dukes.

CLOSE CALLS
JMU had several good looks at the goal as part of its shot advantage. Just before Hofstra's first goal, Joe Vyner showed his speed as he dribbled up the middle through the midfield with a nice pass left to Eric Schmidt, but the open strike from the left side of the box resulted in a diving save by Pray. In the 44^th minute just before half, Morton came out of the goalkeeper box to play a ball up the left side to Billy Metzler, whose hard shot from the left side of the box sailed just high of the cross bar. A 55^th-minute strike by Vyner was narrowly to the right of the post. JMU had a series of four foul kicks in the second half all within 10 yards of the box, including one in the 75^th minute no more than a yard outside of the box. However, the Dukes were not able to connect on any of the free kick opportunities.

HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS: @HofstraMSOC Defeats JMU 2-0 in #CAAChamps MSOC Semifinals. #Hofstra https://t.co/5wswsuxcdZ
— CAASports (@CAASports) November 14, 2015

QUOTING COACH
JMU Head Coach Tom Foley said, "I thought Hofstra played very well. On the night they were probably the better team. Our guys competed well and created chances at the beginning of the game. Hofstra was able to achieve the soccer form they showed at the beginning of the year, which helped them to show they were the better team tonight. I think our guys competed. I think our guys fought hard and they didn't give up."

FOLEY ON EARLY PLAY AND RESPONDING TO HOFSTRA'S GOAL
"Hofstra was able to maintain its level of control. We weren't as dangerous after that 27 minute mark. We had some chances early and weren't able to capitalize and when they got their chances they scored. It might have been a reversal of our regular season game where this time we had more control but they finished the chances. I give the guys credit, though, as they fought hard and had chances but just weren't able to capitalize. I give credit to Hofstra to have the maturity and composure to close the match."

ISLAND WINDS
While it may not have had a significant impact on the result of the game, the contest was played with steady winds blowing across the pitch close to 20 miles per hour and gusts up to 30. Hofstra led JMU in corner kicks in the first half 6-0 but was unable to place most of its kicks in the box as it fought the wind from both corners. Several of Morton's second-half goal kicks were knocked down short of midfield by the gusting winds.

SERIES IMPACT
Hofstra improved to 11-8-1 in the head-to-head series. The Dukes had won the last two matches, including a 2-0 decision in Harrisonburg just two weeks earlier, a win that propelled JMU into the CAA Championship. Madison had also won 2-0 in last year's CAA quarterfinals en route to winning the 2014 title as the No. 6 seed.

FINISHING STRONG
After a 0-5-1 start to the season against a tough schedule, JMU went 5-5-3 the rest of the way. That included a tie against No. 18 UNCW in early October, a win over No. 17 Hofstra to close the regular season and a win in the CAA first round at College of Charleston.

Foley said, "I think we can look at it month-by-month from the beginning of October into conference play. We started to believe in ourselves and trust ourselves as players and coaches and work together. I give the guys credit. Even in September when we weren't getting results, they believed in themselves. They worked hard and achieved some of the goals they set mid-season."