WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Senior Elyssa Okken and junior Josephine van der Hoop each scored twice to lead the top-seeded Monmouth University field hockey team to a dominate 7-1 victory over fourth-seeded Sacred Heart in the 2018 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Semifinals, Friday afternoon on So Sweet A Cat Field.

With the victory, the Hawks advance to the title game on Sunday at noon against third-seeded Fairfield, which topped Rider 1-0 in its semifinal contest.  It will be the third-straight season the two sides have met in the MAAC Finals.

Monmouth built a four-goal first half lead as Okken got things started in the 11th minute connecting a shot that went through Sacred Heart's goalkeeper's legs.  Meg de Lange scored off a corner, tucking a shot into the far post seven minutes later before Okken hammered in a loose ball in the circle in the 22nd minute.  van der Hoop registered her first of the afternoon right before the break on a backhanded shot while moving to her left.

van der Hoop extended the Blue and White's lead nearly 10 minutes into the second half, scoring off a corner play.  Gab Girardi drove the endline in the 61st minute and her shot went off a defender and into the cage to put the Hawks up six before Sacred Heart got on the board on a corner.  The Hawks capped off the scoring when Annick van Lange deflected a pass into the netting in the final minute.

Kate O'Hogan made five saves in the cage for the Hawks to move to 8-1 on the year.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We are so excited to be playing for a championship this Sunday at home.  The attacking opportunities that we were able to create today was incredible.  It came down to the girls trusting the system, trusting each other, applying a lot of pressure to the ball and their willingness to play on both sides." – Head Coach Carli Figlio

- Monmouth will make its ninth overall appearance in a conference championship game. It will be the Hawks' third-straight trip to the MAAC finals, fourth overall.
- The Hawks remain unbeaten at home this season (9-0).
- The seven goals is the most ever all-time in postseason play.
- Monmouth has won 12 straight against the Pioneers.
- MU is 19-10 all-time against SHU and 2-0 in postseason play.
- Elyssa Okken posted her second career multi-goal game.  The senior now has four goals on the season and 11 for her career.
- Josephine van der Hoop notched her second and third goals of the year with her fourth career multi-goal game.  The junior, who assisted on a goal, now has 58 career points after her five-point outing.
- Meg de Lange scored her second goal of the season, her first marker since the Hawks' win against Ohio (8/26/18).  The sophomore has points in the last two games.
- Gab Girardi notched her second goal of the year, a new career high in a single-season for the midfielder. 
- Annick van Lange registered her 20th point of the year with her goal in the final seconds.
- Kelly Hanna inserted the corner on de Lange's goal, her eighth assist of the year.  The senior has points in 10 of the last 11 games.
- Annie Deusch and Ireen Frenken both added assists on the afternoon.
- Georgia Garden Bachop had her goal streak halted at seven games.  The senior recorded an assist to extend a point streak to eight games.
- All field players earned some minutes in the victory.
- Kate O'Hogan is now 8-1 in cage. 

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Monmouth outshot Sacred Heart 27-9, including 16-3 in the opening half. 
- The Blue and White earned 10 attacking corners, while Sacred Heart had six opportunities. 
- Hanna and Okken led the Hawks with six shot attempts, while Garden Bachop had five shots.  

NEXT UP
The Hawks will take on third-seeded Fairfield at noon for the MAAC Championship with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.  The game will be broadcasted live on MAAC.TV. 
 

-@MonmouthFH-