WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – In a game with Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship implications on the line, junior Alyssa Ercolino (West Long Branch, NJ/Shore Regional) recorded her second-straight two-goal game and sophomore Meg Donahue (Wyomissing, PA/Berks Catholic) added an insurance goal as the Monmouth University field hockey team topped visiting Quinnipiac, 3-1, Sunday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field.
The Hawks (7-9, 4-0 MAAC), who clinched a berth in the championships with the victory, will now need to win one of their last two games (10/30 at Siena, 11/1 at Bryant) to secure at least a share of the MAAC Regular Season Title and home field advantage for the annual tournament.
"Quinnipiac is always a competitive game and they looked really good, but our seniors really propelled us forward today," commented Head Coach Carli Figlio. "Alyssa and Meg both scored, but it was a total team effort and I am beyond proud, not just of the work ethic that is coming from our team but they are really starting to believe. It is a great group and they definitely deserve all the success that they are having."
After a back-and-forth first half which featured four total shots, Monmouth broke the ice in the 46th minute when sophomore Rachel Konowal (Plymouth Meeting, PA/Plymouth Whitemarsh) drew a penalty corner. Casey Hanna (Seaville, NJ/Ocean City) took the initial shot off the corner and Ercolino was on the opposite post to knock in the rebound to give MU a 1-0 lead.
Quinnipiac (7-10, 4-1 MAAC) answered 2:20 later when Felicia Costanzo deflected in a shot from Megan Osanitsch to even the score at 1-1.
The Hawks retook the lead eight minutes later when Ercolino collected a loose ball, pushed to her left and connected on a backhanded shot inside the near post past QU's goalkeeper Megan Conaboy to put the Hawks up, 2-1. The Blue and White added an insurance goal in the 61st minute as Donahue's unassisted tally rocketed past Conaboy, also inside the near post, to give the Hawks a two-goal cushion. The Monmouth defense did not let up another attacking opportunity for the remaining 9:02 of regulation.
Monmouth goalkeeper Christen Piersanti (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) made one save for the victory, while Conaboy turned away three shots in defeat.
The Hawks outshot the Bobcats, 13-4, and held an 8-1 advantage in penalty corners.
Prior to the game, the program honored its graduating class, Cori Allen (Gibbsboro, NJ/Eastern Regional [Iowa]), Lauren Horner (Shnecksville, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) and graduate Casey Higgins (Florham Park, NJ/West Essex [UConn]) with its annual Senior Day celebration.
"Today we really honored our seniors, not just winning, but playing in a way that we want to play, especially in the second half," added Figlio. "These seniors have each come into our program at a different time but they are vital to our success. They bring a sense of maturity and resilience but most importantly passion for the game. They will absolutely be missed, but we are now working to make sure that this is not the last time they get to play on this field."
Monmouth closes out the regular season next weekend at Siena on Friday at 2 p.m. before taking on Bryant a 1 p.m. on Sunday.
-@MonmouthFH-
