WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University women's soccer team earned its first victory on the year, blanking Rider 3-0, on The Great Lawn, on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks, who are now 1-1 at home, improve to 1-2 on the season, while Rider fell to 2-3 overall.
"It was good to score some goals and always great to get a shutout," stated head coach Krissy Turner.
In the victory, Monmouth's first shutout of the year, the Hawks received first-half goals from juniors Mary Wilks and Ali Kliment, while sophomore Courtney Snyder's second goal in the last two games, pushed the final to 3-0.
Monmouth jumped ahead 1-0, with just under 11 minutes left until intermission, as Wilks ran down a loose ball in the box, and poked a score past a diving goalkeeper, Alex Post. Post, who was sliding in to corral the ball, was a step late as Wilks' slide and touch directed the ball into the net for her first score on the year.
Kliment gave the Hawks a two-goal edge with 6:23 showing on the clock, as the defender knocked in a headed flick from BrieAnne Nomejko. Wilks started the play with a throw into the box, which was deflected by a Rider defender, flicked to the far post and deposited by Kliment, out of the air, for her first career goal.
The Blue and White pushed the lead to 3-0 at 85:55, when freshly inserted Amber Agostinelli collected a ball in the midfield and fed Snyder for a blast from the left flank, her second goal of the year. Agostinelli, playing in her first career game in the Blue and White, registered her first collegiate point with the assist.
"We want to try to get better every game, and today was an improvement in the goal-scoring area from Friday's game," added Turner, who earned her 114th career win at Monmouth.
Behind a scoreless second stanza, junior goalkeeper Lia Fierro registered her 16th career shutout in the victory for the Hawks.
Post, who allowed two scores, made one save in 72:02 minutes, while Jenn Nichols played the final 17:58 minutes, allowing one goal, and making two saves.
Monmouth held an 18-1 advantage in shot attempts during the game.
With the victory, Monmouth avoided consecutive home losses for the first time since the 2005 campaign.
Monmouth returns to action on Friday, when the Hawks travel to Iona College, for a non-conference match in New Rochelle, New York, at 4 p.m.
