WILMINGTON, N.C. -
Nationally-ranked UNC Wilmington ventures to Long Island this weekend when it
closes out the regular season with a game at Colonial Athletic Association
rival Hofstra on Nov. 7. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
The 21st-ranked Seahawks (12-2-3, 8-0-2 CAA) earned their
second straight CAA regular season title with a convincing 5-0 win over Drexel
earlier in the week as freshman Etienne Boulanger scored twice to bring his
season total to five markers. UNCW, who owns the conference's longest unbeaten
streak at 10, will be the top seed in the CAA Championship tournament on Nov.
13-15, at the UNCW Soccer Stadium.
The Pride, who stand at 8-7-1 overall and 6-3-1 in the CAA,
will be fighting for the fourth and final tournament berth. Hofstra had an
opportunity to clinch a berth last weekend, but allowed four second-half goals
in a 6-2 loss to visiting James Madison. With a win, the Pride will clinch the
berth while a tie will require some help from other teams in the league.
Hofstra owns a two-point lead over Old Dominion, who will be playing George
Mason in the regular season finale for both teams.
In UNCW's last game, the Seahawks built a 3-0 halftime lead
against Drexel on goals by juniors Brian Harrison and Daniel Roberts and
Boulanger. Junior goalkeeper Brock Duckworth made nine saves in 77 minutes
before subbing out of the match.
Duckworth, who was named CAA Player-of-the-Week on Monday,
has fashioned a 0.67 goals against average and a .885 save percentage, both
ranking him nationally.
Hofstra holds a commanding 6-1-1 lead in the all-time series
with the Seahawks, including a 2-0-1 mark in Hempstead. UNCW has failed to
score a goal in any of those matches.
Boulanger moved into a tie with junior Tyler Wheaton for the
team-lead with five goals, but Wheaton still holds the team-lead with 14
points.
Roberts was named to Topdrawersoccer.com's Team-of-the-Week
after scoring a goal in a 2-0 win at JMU and then assisting on the game-winner
against George Mason.
Tickets for the CAA tournament will go on sale beginning
early next week.