WEST LONG BRANCH-
The Monmouth University women's lacrosse team began their 2007 campaign on a winning note as they defeated Manhattan 15-9 Saturday afternoon at Kessler Field. MU never trailed in the game and moves to 12-1 all-time against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schools.
The Hawks were led by Katie Degen (Glen Head, N.Y./North Shore) who scored seven goals, tying her for third on the all-time single game goals scored list and Carolyn Raveia (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson), who scored six goals, good enough for seventh on the same list. Degen also added two assists, and her nine points in the game place her fourth for the most points scored in a single game in MU history.
Monmouth got the scoring started early as Degen scored an unassisted goal 12 seconds into the contest, then followed that with another tally less than a minute later. Megan Nutter (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) got the Hawks' third goal off a free position shot at the 28:21 mark of the first half before Manhattan got the board to cut the Hawk lead to 3-1 two minutes later. Raveia would add three goals before intermission to give MU a 7-3 lead at the half.
Degen opened the second half the way she started the game by scoring an unassisted goal a minute and half in. Manhattan would cut the Hawks' lead to three on a few occasions in the second half, but MU used a 4-0 run late in the second half to pull away for the win.
Freshman Shawn Evans (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) scored her first collegiate goal, while fellow newcomer Megan Brennan (King of Prussia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) added her first MU assist. Ashley Waldman (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) added two assists for the Blue and White.
Monica Johnson (Radnor, Pa./ Archbishop Carroll) collected 11 saves to earn the win in goal for Monmouth.
The win is Monmouth's first to begin a season since 2001, when the Hawks' won the Northeast Conference regular season and tournament and received a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Hawks return to action tomorrow, Sunday February 25 when they host Howard at 1 p.m. at Kessler Field.
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