WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.- Monmouth University's women's lacrosse team fell 11-5 to instate rival Rutgers University at Kessler Field on Wednesday afternoon.
After 14 scoreless minutes, Monmouth tallied the first two goals to take a 2-0 lead on the BIG EAST squad. Rutgers got on the board at the 11:55 mark and never looked back, scoring four straight goals to end the half. The Scarlet Knights tallied seven second half goals to improve to 6-8 on the season while MU fell to 6-7 in 2009.
The Hawks started out slow, turning the ball over on a number of early possessions but MU netminder Monica Johnson (Radnor, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) was clutch early on, registering six first-half saves. It was Monmouth's Megan Brennan (King of Prussia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) who struck first, taking a pass from Shawn Evans (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) and beating Scarlet Knight goaltender Sandra Abel. MU went up 2-0 at the 12:52 mark when Brennan returned the favor, feeding Evans on her first goal of the game. Less than a minute later RU's Mary Cryan cut the lead to one on an 8m that beat Johnson.
RU would swing the momentum in their favor after scoring three goals in a 80 second span. Rutgers' Annie McGinley scored at the 6:41 mark to even the score and Marlena Welsh tallied the go ahead goal 26 seconds later. The Scarlet Knights went into the lockeroom with a 4-2 lead after Jennifer Schmitt notched her only goal of the game with 5:19 to go.
Welsh gave her squad a 5-2 lead at the 28:05 mark but less than a minute later Brennan, the Hawks leading scorer, answered on a free position shot. Brooke Cantwell scored her first of three second half goals on the next Rutgers possession and the Hawks were back three again. A Nina Frankoski goal at the 24:57 mark gave the Knights a 7-3 lead. Molly O'Brien's (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) and Rachel Feirstein (St. James, N.Y./Smithtown East) each tallied second half goals, which got MU to 5-8 with 2:47 left but it was not enough. Rutgers, ahead by three goals at that point, won two out of the final three draws and scored three more times to finish the scoring at 11-5.
Johnson finished with nine saves as MU was outshot by a 28-14 margin. Rutgers controlled the draws 12-6 while forcing the Hawks into 19 turnovers. Abel made eight saves for Rutgers.
Brennan led the Hawks with three points, while Evans had a goal and an assist. Monmouth's five goals is the lowest output since the Hawks scored two against then No. 3 Georgetown in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. Junior Kelly Bosco (Gulph Mills, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) led the Hawks defensively with two ground balls and apair of caused turnovers.
Welsh and Cantwell each had three goals, with Cantwell also registering an assist in the game. Welsh also had three cuased turnovers and three ground balls. Frankoski also contributed with a pair of goals.
The Hawks will play a pivotal match on Saturday, when they host NEC rival Sacred Heart at Kessler Field. Gametime is set for 12 p.m.
