WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University field hockey team remained undefeated on the season after earning a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory over the Penn Quakers, Friday afternoon on So Sweet A Cat Field. What started with a fifth-year senior, ended with a freshman, as newcomer Michelle Pieczynski (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) tallied the game-winning goal from veteran Enza Mazza (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) just over a minute into overtime for the win.
"{Penn} tested us this afternoon and I am happy to see us step up to the plate and find a way to win," said Head Coach Carli Figlio. "We are moving forward and showing that we are creating a new winning tradition in this field hockey program."
The first half saw back-and-forth action with neither team capitalizing on any scoring opportunities. The Hawks best chances to break the scoreless tie came just seconds before intermission on back-to-back corners, with Quaker's goalie Kieran Sweeney stopping Mazza's second blast at the net.
Picking up where she left off, Mazza's aggressive play paid off 19 minutes into the second half when she took a Kayleigh Kalamar (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) feed from the right side and hit the lower left corner of the net for the Hawk's first goal of the game. With the game all but wrapped up, Penn's Sarah Warner netted a high blast over the Hawks' Melissa Katz (Tinton Falls, N.J./Monmouth Regional) off a corner with just 17 seconds left in the match to force overtime.
Just 1:41 into overtime, the Blue and White turned a Penn intercepted pass into a two-on-one as Mazza made a short pass to Pieczynski for a high flicking shot over a diving Sweeney for the game-winning goal. This marks the second straight game that the freshman sensation has posted a game-winning goal for MU.
"We're very happy to see our freshmen be able to step up and contribute right away. {Michelle} has been a great scoring threat for us thus far," points out Coach Figlio.
Monmouth controlled the board, both outshooting the Quakers, 15-5, and also having more corner opportunities, 10-1. Mazza blasted six shots in the game while sophomore Ashley McPeek (Hazlet, N.J./St. John Vianney) notched five shots followed by junior Morganne Firmstone (Honesdale, Pa./Honesdale) posting two shots of her own.
Former All-NEC honoree, Mazza, led MU with a goal and assist on the game pushing her up into a 12th place tie all-time in career points with 23 total.
The Hawks move to 3-0, and string together the program's first three-game win streak since 2007, as the Quakers fall to 0-1 on the young season.
The Hawks return to action this Sunday, September 6th, when they travel to Pennsylvania for a non-conference matchup against West Chester. Game time is slatted for 12:00 p.m.
