PIECZYNSKI'S GOAL IN OT LIFTS FIELD HOCKEY OVER MIAMI (OH)

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Junior Michelle Pieczynski (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) scored her first goal of the season with 4:20 left in overtime to give the Monmouth University field hockey team a 3-2 victory over Miami (OH), Friday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field. The Hawks earned their first victory of the season and improve to 1-2 on the year, while the Red Hawks dropped their third straight contest and fall to 0-3.

Patricia O' Dwyer (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto Beaufort) got control of the ball in the offensive zone, dribbled the ball into the circle along the baseline where she sent a pass across the goal mouth to Pieczynski who swept the ball into the back of the cage, inside the left post, to seal the victory for Monmouth.

"It feels excellent to get the first victory of the year," said head coach Carli Figlio. "The second half of the game we were really focused on just playing hard which we did well. It was great to see potential that we can build on moving forward."

The Red Hawks threatened three minutes into the overtime period as Emily Gruesser blasted a shot from the top of the circle which was pushed aside with the blocker by Monmouth's sophomore goalkeeper, Teresa Mathews (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley), to keep the score knotted at 2-2.

Monmouth looked to strike earlier in the first half as sophomore Alex Carroll (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) sent a pass into the circle that was deflected up by Pieczynski that caromed off Miami's goalkeeper Sarah Mueller's mask to keep the game a scoreless tie with 18 minutes left to play.

The Red Hawks got on the board in the 28th minute as Gabby Goldach connected on a feed from Amanda Seeley for a 1-0 lead. Nearly two minutes later, Olivia Miller pushed the advantage to two with her shot low inside the near post.

Down 2-0 to start the second half, Carroll connected for her first goal of the season 4:06 into the frame as the sophomore took a corner feed from graduate student Morganne Firmstone (Honesdale, Pa./Honesdale) and fired a shot to the back of the cage.

Eight minutes later, senior Ashley McPeek (Hazlet, N.J./St. John Vianney) sent a past from the top of the circle wide down the right side where junior Kimmy Baligian (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) collected the ball and fired a shot between to keeper for her second goal of the season, which evened the score, 2-2.

Mathews picked up her first collegiate victory, making four saves for the Blue and White. Christina Heston, who came into the contest in the second half, is credited with the loss, surrendering three goals while making two saves. Mueller, who played the first 35 minutes, made three saves for the Red Hawks.

Monmouth held the advantage in shots, 12-9, while Miami controlled the penalty corners, 11-6.

The Hawks return to action this Sunday, September 4th, as it hosts William and Mary at So Sweet A Cat beginning at noon.

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