CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College women's soccer team saw its four-game unbeaten streak come to an end with a 3-0 loss to the University of Bridgeport in a non-conference game Wednesday afternoon at Caldwell Field. The Cougars, who were 3-0-1 in their last four games, fall to 3-7-1 on the season. The regionally-ranked Purple Knights improve to 10-2-1 with the win.
The two teams battled to a scoreless first half, with Caldwell sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Hoenig (Howell, NJ/Howell) making eight saves to keep Bridgeport off the scoreboard. Six minutes into the second half, senior forward Kristee Paknis (Whiting, NJ/Manchester) was fouled in the penalty area, drawing a penalty kick. Paknis, who had scored at least one goal in each of the previous four games, took the kick, but Elina Yletyinen made a diving save to her right to deny Paknis and the Cougars.
Momentum swung in favor of the Purple Knights after Yletyinen's save. In the 60th minute, Bridgeport broke through with the game's first goal on a header by Katherine Tabinowski off a cross from Rakel Hinriksdottir. Linda Velaj took a pass from Sofia Hoflin, dribbled in alone on Hoenig and scored in the 65th minute for a 2-0 lead. Velaj returned the favor in the 80th minute, when her pass found Hoflin in front of the goal. Hoflin scored her team-leading 11th of the season to give the Purple Knights a commanding 3-0 lead.
Hoenig, pictured, finished with a season-best 11 saves, while Yletyinen recorded six saves to tally her fourth shutout of the year.
The Cougars return to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play with a game at Wilmington University on Saturday, Oct. 11. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Caravel Academy in Bear, Del.
CC - 0 0 - 0
UB - 0 3 - 3
Scoring Summary: 1. UB - Katherine Tabinowski 2 (Rakel Hinriksdottir), 59:33. 2. UB - Linda Velaj 10 (Sofia Hoflin), 64:18. 3. UB - Hoflin 11 (Velaj), 79:52.
Shots: CC - 11; UB - 19
Saves: CC – Lauren Hoenig 11; UB – Elina Yletyinen 6
Corners: CC - 2; UB - 5
Fouls: CC - 4; UB - 14
Offsides: CC - 2; UB - 2
