WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Senior Amanda Schoenfeld (West Sayville, N.Y./Connetquot) scored the game-winning goal with 2:55 left in the first overtime session to lift the Monmouth University field hockey team to a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over future conference foe Fairfield, Friday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field. Four different Hawks scored, while the MU defense weathered three second-half goals from the Stags to secure its first overtime win since 2011.
Sophomore Casey Hanna (Seaville, N.J./Ocean City) played the ball along the sideline to Trish O'Dwyer (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto Beaufort) inside the 25-yardline. The senior settled the pass and blasted a feed into the center of the circle to the stick of Schoenfeld. The forward moved the ball to her backhand and lifted a shot over Fairfield's goalkeeper Caitlin Bennett's right pad for her third goal of the season.
"It was a fantastic game from every single person who stepped onto the field," commented head coach Carli Figlio. "The girls worked really hard for 70-plus minutes and we finished the plays we needed to and the defense stepped up in a big way."
Monmouth (4-4) struck first with just under three minutes before the halftime break. O'Dywer dribbled in a long hit from the right sideline, weaving her way through the Stags' defense. The Dublin, Ireland native pushed the ball ahead and fired a backhanded shot inside the left post to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
Fairfield (4-6) retaliated within 14 minutes of the second half as Felicitas Heinen converted a penalty corner and Julie de Paeuw's deflection on a corner gave the Stags their first lead of the afternoon.
The Blue and White answered in the 60th minute when Schoenfeld feed junior defender Lauren Horner on a run along the left side where she connected on the one-timer for her first collegiate points. Five minutes later, Cori Allen (Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional [Iowa]) drew a penalty stroke opportunity. The junior set up and fired a low shot off the left post and in to give MU the one goal advantage.
The Stags did not go quietly as they knotted the score for the third time when Ann Burgoyne deposited a cross from the end line to force the overtime session. Both teams exchanged penalty corner opportunities before Schoenfeld converted her fourth career game-winner.
Freshman Christen Piersanti (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan), who earned her fifth start of the season, made four saves on the afternoon, while classmate Rachel Konowal (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) chipped in with a pair of defensive saves. Bennett turned away five Monmouth shots in the losing effort.
For the game, Monmouth outshot Fairfield 15-12, including 3-0 in the overtime period, while both sides had eight penalty corner opportunities.
The Blue and White returns to action on Sunday, September 28th at 1 p.m. for a non-conference tilt with Cornell.
-@MonmouthFH-
