Women's Soccer Looks to Hurt Hofstra's Pride

After dominating its opponent and evening its season record this past weekend, the Columbia women’s soccer team aims for its third straight win as they prepare to face off against the Hofstra Pride Friday night.

“In the process of both qualitatively and quantitatively creating the best possible results for this season, this is an important week,” head coach Kevin McCarthy said. “This match is the next step in the 2007 season, and we have incrementally improved in each match.”

McCarthy is looking to senior midfielder/forward Sophie Reiser and junior forward Allison Leonard to score big for the Light Blue. Reiser, winner of the Ivy League’s Player of the Week award, scored a goal and had two assists in Columbia’s victory against Fairleigh Dickinson last weekend, while Leonard scored the game’s first two goals within the opening 14 minutes.

“They are right now the two young women who have been most productive for us on the score sheet,” McCarthy said. “They’re both returning players with a wonderful range of attacking skills, so that’s what we expected.”

Although the Light Blue did not face Hofstra last year, the Pride is expected to provide a significant challenge as it is currently ranked fourth in the NSCAA regional rankings carrying a perfect 4-0 record. Hofstra did not qualify for its conference tournament last year despite maintaining a 9-8-2 record. Senior defender Sue Weber, who earned first-team All-Region honors from the NSCAA in 2006, will be returning to the Pride after helping it make its first ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2005. Weber, along with 2005 first-team NSCAA All-Region midfielder Edel Malone, is expected to carry the team.

McCarthy is counting on Columbia to get another early season victory.
“Hofstra has had some good results this year, but the expectation is that Columbia’s soccer program is going to be the model program in New York and in the Ivy League,” he said. “This is another opportunity for us to make that statement with our performance.”