WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. -
The Monmouth University men's soccer team opened Northeast Conference play with a 4-0 victory over Mount St. Mary's on Saturday afternoon, on The Great Lawn. The victory improves the Hawks to 6-2-2 on the season and 1-0 in the NEC, as Monmouth has now registered seven shutouts on the year. Mount St. Mary's falls to 2-6-1, 0-1 NEC.
"This is a good way to start the conference season," commented head coach Robert McCourt. "It's always great to get a win, but we realize that we have a long road ahead of us and a lot of work to do, in order to achieve our goals."
Monmouth freshman Ryan Kinne (Naugatuck, Conn./Naugatuck) put the Hawks ahead 1-0 in the 24th minute, registering his first goal of the season. Senior Damon Wilson (Swedesboro, N.J./St. Andrew's) worked his way to the end line and found Kinne in the box for the one-timer, which beat Mount goalkeeper Chris Davis.
The Hawks went ahead 2-0 when senior midfielder Michael Millar (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) put a free kick on goal which deflected off a Mount defender's head and into the net. Monmouth posted a third goal in the opening half, when freshman Drew Von Bargen (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) played a ball onto a streaking Rob LaRocca (Holmdel, N.J./CBA), who beat the goalkeeper with one-touch and found the net at the 44:18 point of the first half. The score was LaRocca's second of the season, and Von Bargen's first collegiate point.
Wilson recorded his second assist of the match, and team-high fifth of the year, as the forward worked himself to the touchline and crossed a ball into the box, which John Castro (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) nodded into the far netting, passed back-up netminder Will Pike.
Monmouth held a 14-6 advantage in shots, and a 6-1 edge in corner kicks. Davis, who allowed three first half goals, made one save for the Mountaineers. Pike, who played the second half for the Mount, made four saves, while allowing one tally.
Senior Daniel Schenkel (Campo Verde, Brazil) and freshman Bryan Meredith (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) combined for the Hawks' seventh shutout of the season.
Monmouth, which increased its Northeast Conference unbeaten streak to 20 matches, dating back to the 2004 season, returns to action on Friday, October 12, when the Hawks host Long Island in Northeast Conference action at 3 p.m., on The Great Lawn.
