WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University field hockey team ran its winning streak to four games as it cruised past Siena, 7-1, Sunday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field.  The Hawks (6-11, 4-1 NEC) were paced offensively by senior Michelle Pieczynski (Doylestown, Pa./Central Buck West) who had five points on a pair of goals and an assist, while junior Alex Carroll scored twice for the Blue and White.  Junior Trish O'Dwyer (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto Beaufort) chipped in four points on a goal and two assists as Monmouth remains tied for second place with in-state rival Rider heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Siena (0-13, 0-5 NEC) jumped ahead in the 12th minute as Lindsey Yenter took one-touch off a pass from Michaela Sullivan for the Saint's lone score of the afternoon.  Monmouth registered the equalizer at the 22:47 mark when O'Dwyer fed Carroll on a penalty corner along the left side where the defender fired a low shot to the back of the cage.  The Hawks took the lead 90 seconds later as Pieczynski deflected a Tara Brown (Hatboro, Pa./Archbishop Wood) shot to give MU a 2-1 advantage.

On a penalty corner opportunity in the 29th minute, O'Dwyer sent a pass to the top of the circle to freshman Orla Macken (Dublin, Ireland/Rathdown School), who dished off to Carroll on the left side where she connected on her second marker of the game and fourth of the season. 
With no time left in the first half, MU was awarded back-to-back penalty corners.  On the second attempt, O'Dwyer set an insert to Brown along the left side.  The graduate fired a shot towards cage where Pieczynski deflected inside the left post for her team-leading 13th goal of the season, which allowed Monmouth to enter the break with a 4-1 lead.

Nicole Manziano (Monroe Township, N.J./Monroe Township) took advantage of another Monmouth corner opportunity two minutes into the second half.  The senior took a pass from O'Dwyer at the top of the circle.  After stick stopping the ball to herself, Manziano made a move to the right where she unloaded a shot for her second goal of the season.

The Hawks increased their lead to five with less than 15 minutes to go in regulation as a loose ball in the circle found the stick of Pieczynski, who sent a reverse-stick pass to sophomore Amanda Shoenfeld (West Sayville, N.Y./Connetquot) in front of an empty goal mouth where she just tipped it in for her fifth marker of the year.  O'Dwyer capped off Monmouth's scoring, carrying a pass from senior Kimmy Baligian (Whitehouse, N.J./Hunterdon Central) into the circle  where she connected on her sixth tally of the season.

Junior Teresa Mathews (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) and sophomore Amanda Westerweller (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel) split time in cage for Blue and White, with Mathews earning the victory.  Beth Meyers, who entered the game as the country's leader with 10.45 saves per game, turned away four shots in 31 minutes of play, while Mary Drabich also made four saves for Siena in 38 minutes of action.

Monmouth overwhelmed Siena, outshooting the Saints 24-5, while holding a 13-7 penalty corner advantage, including 9-1 in the first half.

Monmouth will welcome Robert Morris into West Long Branch on Friday, October 28th in its final home game of the season, beginning at 4 p.m.  Prior the game, the Hawks will honor their four seniors, Brown, Pieczynski, Baligian and Manziano.

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