DEDHAM, MASS. — It was a down-to-the-wire regular season finale between Monmouth and hosting Northeastern Friday.
The game was scoreless entering the final 15 minutes of regulation until an onslaught of four goals between the two sides ensued before the clock hit zero.
Milla Frye was the deciding factor in the victory, as the junior lasered in her team-leading 14th goal of the season to push the Hawks over the Huskies, 3-2 in overtime.
The win lifted Monmouth to 10-6 overall and 5-1 in the CAA with the Hawks grabbing a share of the CAA regular season title for the fourth time in five seasons. Their 5-1 conference record matched Fairfield and Drexel, but goal differential then head-to-head decided final playoff seeding heading into postseason play with the Stags garnering the top spot followed by the Hawks, the Dragons and the Huskies, respectively.
Monmouth had a slow start against hosting Northeastern, totaling just two shots in the first half. However, the Hawks came out hot to begin the third quarter. They immediately worked the ball in their offensive 25 with
Anna Moors firing a pin-point pass inside the circle to an open
Claire Campen who took care of the rest. The junior captain took a good first touch toward goal and finished around Huskies goalie Aiko Price for her fourth goal of the season to put her team out in front, 1-0, a minute into the second half.
The hosts answered with consecutive goals in the 47th and 50th minute to get ahead, 2-1. Monmouth matched the score at 2-all thanks to a goal from Moors. After
Éabha Curran earned a corner for her side,
Maja Schröder inserted the ensuing set play to
Luisa Schlueter who laid down a ball for Moors who rifled a shot that hit off a stick of a Huskies defender and into the top shelf for the equalizing score.
Frye then took care of the rest about eight minutes into extra time. She took a touch just inside the circle and ripped a shot top left corner that Price got a piece of but couldn't handle as the ball found the back of the cage for the game-deciding score.
Northeastern out-shot Monmouth, 13-10, including 9-8 in shots on goal with the Huskies also having the advantage in penalty corners, 7-4. Frye and Moors each had two shots to lead the Hawks with Moors pacing her team offensively with a goal and an assist in the victory.
Charlie Bowman recorded seven saves in net in the win.
Monmouth's postseason run starts Wednesday, as it takes on hosting No. 3 seed Drexel at 3 p.m. Northeastern and Fairfield will play in the earlier semifinal slate at noon with the winners returning to the Dragons' Buckley Field for the championship game Friday.
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