WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The top-seeded Monmouth University men's soccer team, ranked #8 in the latest NSCAA/adidas National Rankings, advanced to the Northeast Conference Tournament Championship match with a 2-0 win over fourth-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday afternoon. The Hawks, who improve to 17-1-1 on the season, will take on third-seeded Quinnipiac the league final on Sunday at 12:00 pm on The Great Lawn.
"I was happy with the overall performance again today," said MU head coach Robert McCourt. "Games with FDU are always close. I thought we dominated for long spells in the second half. Their keeper made some spectacular saves today to keep them in it, and I thought it was a justified result."
MU received a breakthrough performance from freshman Cody Calafiore (Howell, N.J./Howell), who scored both of Monmouth's tallies in the match. The freshman put the Hawks on top just over three minutes into the second half when he headed home a cross from sophomore George Caiella (Pittstown, N.J. /Seton Hall Prep), who had the ball played to him from Ryan Kinne (Naugatuck, Conn./Naugatuck).
After withstanding some FDU scoring opportunities, Monmouth was able to put the match away when the Hawks turned their defense into offense. In the 88th minute, sophomore RJ Allen (Old Bridge, N.J./Hillsborough) played a ball to Caiella, who blasted a deep ball down the right sideline that found a streaking Calafiore. He leapt over a defender and beat FDU keeper Majdi Zaineh to the near post for his second marker of the match, and his third of the season. Caiella's pair of helpers are his first two assists of the season.
From there, MU's top-ranked defense, setting a new program record with the team's 14th shutout of the season. MU keeper Bryan Meredith (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) made three saves for his 13th blanking of the season.
The Hawks now advance to the NEC Title game for the third time in the last five years where they will face third-seeded Quinnipiac, who topped second-seeded St. Francis (N.Y.) 4-3 on penalty kicks after being tied 1-1.
"We are looking forward to the final on Sunday," added McCourt. "QU is a talented team that plays a good style of soccer. It will be a good match up. It would be nice for us to have a strong home support to make it a real home field advantage."
