WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Sophomore Kelly Hanna (Seaville, NJ/Ocean City [Rutgers]) scored 7:12 into the second overtime session to propel the top-seeded Monmouth University field hockey team to a thrilling 3-2 victory over rival and fourth-seeded Rider, Friday afternoon in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Semifinals on So Sweet A Cat Field. The Hawks (16-2), who collect their ninth-straight victory, advance to Sunday's MAAC Finals against second-seeded Fairfield, which came back to defeat third-seeded Bryant in overtime earlier in the day.

Rider's Alice Otterson connected with the equalizer with time expired on a corner play to force the extra sessions. In the first overtime, the Hawks earned better of the opportunities, firing off 10 shots and earning five corner opportunities, but Rider kept the Blue and White off the board and forced the second extra period. Following a block tackle by Casey Hanna (Seaville, NJ/Ocean City), the Hawks made a run with Meg Donahue (Wyomissing, PA/Berks Catholic) carrying the ball into the circle where she set up Kelly Hanna for the game-winner.

The two sides played scoreless hockey through the first half before freshman Josephine van der Hoop broke the ice with her reverse shot in the 37th minute to put the Hawks up 1-0. Rider answered quickly as Carlota Alsina connected on a reverse shot of her own from the top of the circle three minutes later to even the score. The Hawks jumped back ahead in the 56th minute when van der Hoop dribbled towards the end line and sent a pass across the goal mouth to the opposite post where Kelly Hanna dove and extended her stick to tip in her first of the afternoon.

Junior Christen Piersanti (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) made five saves in cage, while defender Julie Laszlo (Rotterdam, Netherlands / Rotterdams Montessori Lyceum) had a defensive save to her credit.

NOTES & QUOTES
"It was back-and-forth all game long. A ton of credit to Rider; they had a great game plan and the executed when they had the opportunity. But I am so proud of the effort that our team put forth today. We had some adversity but we won as a team and we couldn't be happier to be back here on Sunday." – Head Coach Carli Figlio

- The Hawks will make their seventh title game appearance, the first since 2014 when they won the MAAC Championship.
- With the victory, the Hawks set the program record for wins in a season, eclipsing the mark set in 2010 and duplicated in 2011.
- MU extends its winning streak over its rival to four games.
- It was the Hawks' first overtime game of the season and the first double overtime affair since 2010 (W, 1-0 vs. Bryant)
- The Blue and White has played at least one overtime game in every season of its 20-year history.
- With a goal and an assist, van der Hoop finished the game with three points, the third time this season the rookie has recorded a trio of points.
- Kelly Hanna recorded a career-high four points with her first multi-goal game. Her marker in overtime is her third game winner of the season.
- Laszlo had her point streak snapped at seven games. The junior defender recorded 25 points over the span.
- Laszlo registered her team-leading eighth defensive save of the season.
- Piersanti notched her 36th career victory in cage.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Monmouth outshot Rider 24-19 for the game. After an opening half that only saw five combined shots, each team registered 11 shots apiece in the second frame. MU held a 10-0 advantage in the first overtime, while Rider edged the Hawks in second extra session, 5-1.
- The Hawks earned 16 attacking corners, six more than Rider, which is the nation's leader in the statistic.
- Laszlo finished with a team-high eight shots, while Donahue posted five attempts.

NEXT UP
Monmouth will host Fairfield in the MAAC Championship game on Sunday, November 6th at 11 a.m. The winner will earn the MAAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 

-@MonmouthFH-