WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – After falling behind 1-0, the Monmouth University field hockey team scored three unanswered goals to defeat visiting Longwood, 3-1, in the season opener for both teams.  Junior Meg de Lange converted the game-winner via a penalty stroke in the 38th minute to give the Hawks their 29th straight regular season home win on So Sweet A Cat Field.

Longwood scored off a penalty corner with 2:05 left in the opening quarter to earn the early advantage.  Two minutes into the second frame, Stefanie Bigler induced a turnover that sprung Josephine van der Hoop forward where she set up rookie Aylin Aufenacker who knotted things up at 1-1 with her first career goal.

de Lange converted her first career stroke attempt to give the Hawks the lead for good, while van der Hoop converted an untimed penalty corner in the fourth quarter to give the Blue and White the two-goal victory.

NOTES & QUOTES
"It was great to walk away with a victory today.  We showed a lot of promise in a lot of our younger players; it was nice to see them get touches.  We do need to clean up some things, moving forward, and look to finish in the attacking 25, but extremely happy to get the win."  - Carli Figlio, Head Coach

- The Hawks have won 29 straight regular season games on their home turf dating back to the 2015 season.  It is the longest active winning streak in the nation.
- The Hawks are 9-4 in home openers under Carli Figlio, having won the last seven openers.
- As a program, the Hawks are 11-12 all-time in home openers. 
- Today's game was Monmouth and Longwood's third ever meeting and first since 2004.  The Hawks own a 3-0 record against the Lancers.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Aylin Aufenacker becomes the first true freshman to score on opening day since Josephine van der Hoop scored against VCU in the 2016 opener.  The rookie finished with three points, adding an assist on van der Hoop's goal.
- Meg de Lange's third career goal is her first game-winning tally. 
- van der Hoop, who played in her 60th career game, earning her 55th career start, finished with three points with a goal and assist.  Her 24th career goal gave her over 60 points for her career.
- Stefanie Bigler added an assist.
- Kate O'Hogan earned her 10th career win in cage.
- Bente Steenhorst and Yasmin Pratt both earned starts in their first career collegiate game, while Colleen Craven saw time off the bench.
- Monmouth outshot Longwood 21-6, including holding the Lancers to without a shot in both the second and fourth quarters.
- The Hawks earned eight penalty corners, compared to six for the Lancers.
- Pratt finished with a team-high seven shot attempts, while all five strikes by Aufenacker were on target.  
- Longwood's goalkeeper Katie Wyman made 12 saves on the afternoon.

NEXT UP
The Hawks continue opening weekend with a trip to Boston, MA for a tilt with Northeastern on Sunday, September 1st at 1 p.m.