The Hawks took on the Leopards of Lafayette on a cool night at The Great Lawn on Sunday, Sept. 14. MU controlled the game as they recorded their fifth shutout of the year with a final score of 3-0. Sharing the ball was key in MU’s victory as three separate Hawks scored. Goals were made by freshman forward Rachelle Ross, sophomore forward Alexis McTamney, and junior Monique Goncalves.
The Hawks gained an early lead thanks to one of their rookies. At the 16th minute mark, Ross sent a shot toward the Lafayette goal and connected with the net. “[Erica] Murphy took a touch in, and I just trailed her. With her great pass, I was able to finish,” Ross said. The goal counted for Ross’s fourth of the season and her third goal in three games.
Ross currently leads the Hawks in scoring at four goals and points at nine.
McTamney gained her second goal of the season towards the end of the first half. She was able to control a flying ball off the foot of senior back Kristen Brett by heading it into the back of the net giving the Hawks a 2-0 lead. McTamney, no stranger to scoring, punched in eleven goals over the course of twenty-one games during the 2013 season.
The Hawks continued to pile on the goals; in the second half, Goncalves relieved forward Murphy from the game and wasted no time as she scored a goal off her back heel. The ball which trickled into the net counted as her first goal of the year.
Teamwork was a big part of the Hawks’ offense on Sunday night. Murphy picked up an assist by sending a precise pass in the box that Ross finished off. Brett and Goncalves both picked up assists on the McTamney goal during the 36th minute. Ross got back into the action with her first assist of the year in the second half, when she played the ball into the goal line where she crossed it over to Goncalves who placed it in the net.
Recording the shutout was senior goalkeeper Jocelyn McCoy who also picked up her first win of the season. McCoy started over transfer graduate student Nicole D’Agostino.
Head Coach Krissy Turner made the change in net to give D’Agostino a rest for the first half since D’Agostino recently played Friday night against Fairleigh Dickinson. McCoy faced one shot on goal while her relief D’Agostino faced three shots in the second half.
The Hawks outshot their opponent 21-4 with 12 of those attempts made in the first half. MU also posted more corner kicks with a total of nine to Lafayette’s one.
MU’s defense prevailed throughout the game, as they were able to hold the Leopards giving the offense an abundance of chances to score.
“We’re working really well with the defense in practice and its shows in games.” Ross said.
The team is back in action on Sunday, Sept. 21 when they take on Hofstra in a matinee game. After that game, MU begins conference play.
PHOTO COURTESY of Greg Ott
