WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Senior Trish O'Dwyer (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto Beaufort), junior Cori Allen (Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional [Iowa]) and sophomore Alyssa Ercolino (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) each recorded three points, while rookie goalkeeper Christen Piersanti (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) made two saves for the shutout as the Monmouth University field hockey team defeated Bryant, 4-0, in the regular season finale, Sunday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field. With the win, coupled with Rider's loss to Siena, the Hawks (11-7, 4-1 MAAC) capture the 2014 MAAC Regular Season Title and earn the right to host the MAAC Field Hockey Championships next Friday and Sunday.
It marks the second time in program history that the Blue and White have won the regular season crown which last happened during the 2000 campaign. The Hawks, who will host a postseason event in West Long Branch for the second time, will take on fourth-seeded Sacred Heart in the semifinals, while the second-seeded Broncs will take on third-seed Quinnipiac in the other semifinal contest.
“I'm extremely proud of these girls,” commented head coach Carli Figlio, who leads her team to a postseason tournament for the fifth time in her eight years at the helm. “This is a very special group of girls who put the work in, believed and competed every day. They deserve all the accolades.”
Figlio added, “We are also very excited to host and play one more week on our field.”
Monmouth controlled the game throughout, outshooting Bryant 26-4 and holding a 13-4 advantage in penalty corners. The Hawks opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Ercolino hammered in a rebound off an initial shot from O'Dwyer for her fifth goal of the season. The Hawks added to their advantage in the 17th minute when O'Dwyer capped off a give and go with Allen off a corner play to take a 2-0 lead into the break.
The Blue and White inflated its advantage in the 50th minute when Ercolino sent a cross in front of the cage to the stick of Schoenfeld where she tipped in her 12th goal of the season. Allen's blast off a corner with less than eight minutes left in regulation capped off the scoring for the Hawks. It was Allen's second-straight game with a goal to increase her season total to three.
Piersanti recorded her third shutout of the season and 10th overall victory, while Megan Hancock made eight saves for Bryant in the loss.
For all information on the MAAC Championship schedule of events, please check with MAACSports.com and MonmouthHawks.com.
-@MonmouthFH-
