File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - The University of Delaware field hockey team saw its Colonial Athletic Association playoff hopes dashed as the Blue Hens dropped a 3-1 decision to the Hofstra Pride in the squad’s season finale on Sunday afternoon.

Needing a victory in its last bout of the season to clinch a spot in the CAA Tournament, the Blue Hens could not quite muster enough to topple the streaking Pride despite the fourth goal of the year by Tori Karsten (at right). Hofstra (10-8, 4-4 CAA) has now won three straight contests, while Delaware (3-15, 2-6) ends the season on an eight-game skid.

The losing streak is the longest in program history, topping the six-game skids posted by the 1999 and 2005 teams. The five straight losses in conference action also ties the program record set from 1998-99 and equaled again in 2005.

With the playoffs on the line, Delaware came out as the aggressor, firing the first five shots of the match, including two straight lasers by Alexis Esbitt. Despite the early attack, Hofstra’s Amanda Heyde kept the game scoreless, posting three early saves.

After finally getting the ball into the Blue Hen zone, Hofstra earned its first penalty corner of the game. Following passes by Kristen Thompson and Brit Blankmeyer, Amy-Lee Levey knocked the team’s first shot into the cage to put the Pride up, 1-0, at 11:04.

Just over three minutes later, Thompson and Blankmeyer teamed up again on another penalty corner. On the play, Thompson found Blankmeyer, who fired a shot past Delaware’s Nikki Rhoades to extend Hofstra’s lead to 2-0.

With the game slipping away, the Blue Hens went on the attack again, firing eight shots in the final 20 minutes of the first half. Unfortunately, the team could not quite find an opening as Delaware entered halftime with a 13-6 lead in shots but nothing on the scoreboard.

Hofstra seemed poised to put the game away at the beginning of the second half, posting two quick shots before Blankmeyer tapped a third past backup goalie Noelle Diana at 36:27 to put the Pride up by three.

Four minutes later, Karsten reinvigorated Delaware after re-directing an initial shot past Heyde and into the cage. Although the score cut the Hens’ deficit to two at 3-1, the squad could never pull any closer.

Hofstra’s defense came alive and kept Delaware out of its zone for the much of the second half. In the final 30 minutes of action, the Hens could only muster a single shot, coming by Florence Sijbrandij off a penalty corner with 12 seconds remaining in the game.

Delaware finished the day with a slim 15-14 lead in shots and a 7-3 advantage in penalty corners. Heyde silenced the Hens, however, posting eight saves to pick up the victory.

Diana, who played the last 55 minutes of action for Delaware, posted seven saves and allowed only a single goal during her time in the cage.

It was the second straight season that saw the Pride eliminate the Hens after they beat Delaware, 2-1, in the 2007 finale.

Despite the end result, next year looks promising for the Blue Hens as the team only graduates four seniors and sees the return of All-American candidate Casey Howard, who was sidelined this year with an ankle injury.