WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University field hockey team posted a 3-0 victory over visiting Saint Francis University in Northeast Conference action on Senior Day, Sunday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field. With one game remaining and the Hawks (13-5, 5-1 NEC) holding a one-game edge and the head-to-head tie-breaker over Quinnipiac (4-2 NEC), Monmouth has clinched the second seed in the NEC Tournament, to be played November 4-5 at top-seeded Rider.
The Hawks, who will make its eighth overall trip to the NEC Tournament, have earned berths to the postseason the past three seasons under fifth-year head coach Carli Figlio.
"It was a great effort by everyone today," stated Figlio after the victory. "I thought we honored the seniors extremely well. They have given so much to this program and we will miss them tremendously."
MU, which honored its six seniors prior to the contest, got on the board in the 16th minute as senior Kayleigh Kalamar (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) one-touched a feed from junior Michelle Pieczynski (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) for her third goal of the season and a 1-0 lead which MU brought into the break.
After the intermission, senior Ashley McPeek (Hazlet, N.J./St. John Vianney) connected with Pieczynski twice within a span of 5:19 to give the Blue and White a commanding 3-0 advantage. The first tally, McPeek sent a pass into the middle of the circle that Pieczynski redirected inside the right post. The second strike, McPeek sent a pass from the baseline towards the far post that Pieczynski backhanded in for her 19th goal of the season. With the two tallies against the Red Flash and her assist on Thursday against Rider, the junior moved into first all-time in Monmouth history with 94 career points (41 goals, 12 assists).
MU's goalkeeper Teresa Mathews (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) made three saves in cage for the Blue and White in her third shutout of the season. The sophomore got help from junior defender Nicole Manziano (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Township) who posted her 11th defensive save of the year. Katelyn Vitali turned away five shots for SFU.
The Hawks outshot the Red Flash, 11-4, while also holding a slight 8-7 advantage in penalty corners.
MU will close out the regular season next Sunday, October 30th, as it travels to Moon Township, Pennsylvania for a 1 p.m. affair with Robert Morris.
