WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – With 13 seconds remaining in regulation, Ben Zakowski netted the game-winning goal to lift the Monmouth men's soccer team past Fairfield, 3-2, Wednesday night in a conference tilt at Hesse Field on the Great Lawn.

Zakowski was one of three Hawks (5-3-2, 3-0 MAAC) to score against the Stags (2-6-1, 1-2 MAAC). The third-year forward also finished with a pair of assists in the win. Robin Oswald and Liam McGregor pitched in with a goal apiece.
 
Oswald opened the scoring for Monmouth in the fourth minute after he received the ball off a corner from Zakowski and sent it into the back of the net to give the Hawks the early advantage. In the 19th minute, Fairfield evened the score before going on to take a 2-1 lead with a second goal 10 minutes later.
 
Monmouth went into the half trailing by one, but the deficit did not last for long. In the 54th minute, McGregor soared into the air and scored the equalizer off the feed from Zakowski.
 
As regulation was coming to an end, Griffin Tomas booted the ball down the field to a streaking Zakowski and the Glen Rock, N.J., native delivered the game-winning strike to secure the 3-2 Monmouth win.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
"Tonight was a game of two halves. We were disappointed in our effort in the first half, but played much better in the second. The boys showed tremendous character tonight. We now have two days to get our legs back before our next conference game against Iona." – Head Coach Rob McCourt
 
-Zakowski scored his second goal of the season.
-He posted his first multi-assist outing of the season.
-McGregor recorded his third goal of the season.
-Oswald tallied his first goal of the season and the 10th of his career.
-Tomas notched his first assist of the year.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth put seven of its 11 shots on goal.
-Fairfield held the edge in shots, 13-11.
-The Hawks tallied their fourth multi-goal game of the season.
 
UP NEXT
-The Hawks will head to New York on Saturday to take on Iona for a 1 p.m. MAAC contest.