FAIRFIELD, Conn.- Despite maintaining the lead for the entire
first half, Monmouth University's (0-1) women's lacrosse team lost its season
opener to Fairfield University (1-0) by a score of 20-12 on Sunday afternoon.
The home team Stags rattled off five straight goals to start the second half,
erasing a one-goal first half deficit, en route to taking a commanding 12-7
lead with just over 21 minutes left in the game. Fairfield, who entered the season as the defending
MAAC Champion and were receiving votes in the top-20 poll, got four goals in
that span from senior Erin Rigby.
The Stag lead expanded to 16-7 before Shawn Evans (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown)
stopped the 11-goal run with 14:55 to go in regulation. Fairfield scored four more goals over the next
three minutes to take a 20-8 lead.
Monmouth scored the game's final four goals, including two from Evans
and one each from fellow captains Megan Brennan (King of Prussia, Pa./Archbishop
Carroll) and Ali Pollock (Watervliet, N.Y./Shaker)
Junior Carissa Franzi (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) notched the game's first
goal, and the first MU goal of the 2010 season, just 2:25 into the game. Nearly five minutes later Rachel Feirstein (St.
James, N.Y./Smithtown East) gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead on a feed from Evans. Fairfield
notched a pair of goals to tie it up before Monmouth retook the lead on a
Pollock goal. The Stags tied the game up
again but three consecutive goals, including two from Brennan, gave the Blue
& White a 6-3 lead with 10:12 to go in the first. The Stags scored three goals, compared to
Monmouth's one, in the closing minutes of the first half, with MU taking a 7-6
lead into the break.
Evans tied a career-high with five points on four goals and one assist. Pollock finished with four points, including
three goals, while Brennan had three goals in the loss. Fairfield's Rigby led all scorers with an
eight-point outburst, including seven goals.
Kristen Coleman had four goals for the Stags while Brittney Bare chipped
in a trio of scores.
Junior Kirby Mundorf (Catonsville, Md./Seton Keogh) made
eight saves in net in her first career start for the Hawks. Stag netminder Katie Keenan made seven saves as
Monmouth was outshot 37-25 on the day.
The Hawks return home next weekend when they host the Columbia Lions at 1 p.m.
on Kessler Field.
