WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - In its final home game of the season, the Monmouth University field hockey team shutout Robert Morris, 2-0, Sunday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field. MU finishes the regular season with a program best 14-4 overall record and 6-1 in Northeast Conference action while RMU finishes 4-14, and 1-6 in league play. Monmouth, which held its annual senior day ceremony before the contest, finishes 8-1 at home this season.
"Today was all about the seniors," said head coach Carli Figlio. "They have helped rejuvenate this program, building it from the ground up, and to honor them before the game and get a win was very important to the team."
With six minutes remaining in the first half, sophomore forward Michelle Pieczynski (Doylestown, Pa./Central Buck West) sent a cross from the from the right side which found the stick of senior Meredith Violi (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) who tipped it past the Colonials' goalkeeper Stephanie Seeley for her third goal of the year, and a 1-0 Hawks' lead.
Monmouth struck again ten minutes into the second half when senior Morganne Firmstone (Honesdale, Pa./Honesdale) sent a shot into the circle that was deflected by Kimmy Baligian (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) into the left pad of Seeley. The sophomore collected the rebound and fired it to the back of the cage for her 13th score of the season, which gave the Blue and White a 2-0 advantage.
Senior goalkeeper Melissa Katz (Tinton Falls, N.J./Monmouth Regional [Michigan State]) made one save for her tenth career shutout. Seeley turned away nine shots for the Colonials.
MU controlled the advantage in shots, 18-2, and penalty corners, 12-1.
Monmouth returns to action next weekend in the Northeast Conference Tournament, hosted by Rider University, as the second seed against third-seeded Bryant University. Game time is yet to be determined.
