SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Monmouth University women's soccer team opened Northeast Conference action with a 2-0 victory at Bryant University on Sunday afternoon. Behind goals from sophomore Dana Costello and senior Courtney Snyder, the Hawks improve to 4-4 overall, and 1-0 in the NEC, and posted their second shutout of the campaign.

"It is good to start the conference season with a win on the road," stated head coach Krissy Turner. "We scored two terrific goals."

Monmouth opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Costello fired a shot into the upper right corner of the net to claim a 1-0 lead for the Hawks, on her team-leading fourth goal of the season.

The Blue and White doubled its lead in the second half when Snyder scored her third marker of the year, off a Bryant turnover, in the 60th minute.

Monmouth, now 3-0 versus Bryant all-time, has won four of its last five matches in 2011, outscoring its opposition 14-4 along the way.

Freshman goalkeeper Jocelyn McCoy posted her first career shutout for the Hawks, making six saves, while facing 19 shots, and 12 Bulldog corner kicks. Monmouth attempted nine shots, forced BU's Kelsi Jacob to make a pair of saves.

"We spent the past three weeks away from The Great Lawn, and are excited to back home on Friday night," added Turner.

Monmouth returns to action on Friday night, September 30, when the Hawks host Wagner in Northeast Conference play at 6:00 p.m., on The Great Lawn.