WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University women's soccer team defeated in-state rival Fairleigh Dickinson 4-1 on Friday afternoon in Northeast Conference action, on The Great Lawn.  The Hawks, who scored four consecutive goals in the match, including a pair from senior Mary Wilks, improve to 8-5-1 on the year and 3-2-1 in the league with the victory.

"It is difficult to go down a goal and come from behind," stated head coach Krissy Turner, whose Hawks are 5-1 at home this season. "It shows that our team is learning to fight through adversity."

The Knights took a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute when Lisa-Marie Curti played a ball to the top of the box, which Rashidah Sherman beat Monmouth goalkeeper Lia Fierro to, and tapped it into an empty net for her first score of the season.

Wilks evened the score at 1-1 in the 14th minute when she took control of a ball in the FDU defensive zone and carried it down the left side, splitting Knights' defenders and fired a shot past keeper Stephanie Tanzi for her fifth score of the year.

Ten minutes later, the Hawks grabbed a 2-1 lead when junior Jennie Vartebedian played a ball into the box, which found the foot of sophomore Claudia Vazquez. Vazquez immediately fired a shot on goal, which was saved by Tanzi, but freshman Dana Costello collected the rebound and connected for her team-leading eighth score of the year.

After playing 34 minutes of scoreless soccer to start the second half, Monmouth struck twice within 1:32 to corral a 4-1 advantage.

Vartebedian took a free kick from the top of the box that was pushed aside by Tanzi, but freshman Michelle Morrison knocked in the rebound for her second goal of the year and a two-goal MU advantage in the 82nd minute. Wilks then connected on her second goal of the game off feed from junior Courtney Snyder to give the Hawks a 4-1 lead in the 84th minute.

Monmouth outshot FDU (0-13, 0-5 NEC) 16-3 in the match, forcing Tanzi to make five saves for the Knights. Fierro made two saves for the Hawks.

Monmouth returns to action on Sunday, October 17, when the Hawks host Sacred Heart in Northeast Conference action on The Great Lawn at 1:00 p.m.