Women's soccer hosts Central Connecticut, Hofstra to open play at home

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Brown women's soccer team will host a pair of 2021 conference champions this week at Stevenson-Pincince Field. The Bears will play their home opener on Thursday, Sept. 1 against Central Connecticut at 7 p.m and will then host Hofstra this Sunday, Sept. 4 at 3 p.m.

Brown opened its season with a pair of wins at UAlbany and Rhode Island and will look to continue that success at Stevenson-Pincince Field. Central Connecticut is 2-2 to start the year, while Hofstra has opened 2022 at 2-0-1.

Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets online at BrownBears.com/tickets prior to their arrival at Stevenson-Pincince Field. Fans should either download their digital tickets to display on a mobile device or print them at home prior to arrival.
Prior to Thursday's game, there will be a brief pregame recognition honoring the 2021 Ivy League Champion women's soccer team. Sunday is Youth Day which includes free tickets for kids 12 and under, free popcorn for the first 100 kids, photo opportunities with Bruno, and a poster giveaway and post-game autographs with the team.

Scouting the Bears (2-0-0):

The Bears are currently ranked No. 23 in TopDrawerSoccer's national poll.
Brown won its first two games by scores of 2-0 over Albany and 3-1 over Rhode Island. Brittany Raphino scored a goal in both games picking up right where she left off at the end of her All-American junior campaign.
In addition to Raphino, Ava Seelenfreund, Laryssa Hamblen, and Virginia transfer Kira Maguire also scored their first goals of the season. Seelenfreund was second on the team last season with 18 points. Hamblen's goal was a career first.
In goal, Clare Gagne made her first two career starts and faired well. Her first victory came in shutout fashion over Albany as she made four saves for the clean sheet. To pick up the win at URI, Gagne only had to make a single save.

Scouting the Blue Devils (2-2-0):

CCSU is the four-time reigning Northeast Conference Champion. The Blue Devils finished 2021 at 13-6 overall, but fell to Georgetown in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament 6-0.
Wins over Siena (2-0) and New Hampshire (1-0) and losses to Seton Hall (2-1) and Harvard (3-0) have CCSU at .500 on the young season. Kristina Kelly has paced the Blue Devils through four games with a pair of goals and one assist for five points. Aoife Horgan leads the team with two assists on the year.
Caitlin Murphy has played every minute of all four games in goal and has posted a 1.25 goals against average and a .792 save percentage.

Scouting the Pride (2-0-1):

Hofstra finished 2021 at 17-4-1 and with its fourth Colonial Athletic Association Championship in the last five seasons. The Pride defeated Providence 3-0 in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to South Carolina by the same score in the Second Round.
This season, they've taken down Farleigh Dickinson 3-2 and UAlbany 3-0. Hofstra tied Yale in a scoreless matchup. Freshman Thorhildur Thorhallsdottir from Iceland has been huge for the Pride to start the season as she leads the team with three goals and two assists for eight points.
In goal, Skylar Kuzmich has posted a .67 goals against average and a .500 save percentage.

Series Histories:

The Bears are 3-0-1 against Central Connecticut all-time with the most recent matchup, a 2-1 Brown victory, coming in 2017.
Against Hofstra, the Bears are 1-2-0. The lone win came in 2019 in a 2-1 game in Providence. Claire Myers scored the game-winner in the 73^rd minute off an assist from Raphino. The Pride won the most recent matchup 4-0 in 2021.

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