The women’s soccer team remains undefeated in conference play after two promising wins. The Hawks traveled to Rider on Wednesday night and hosted Niagara on Saturday, shutting out both teams.
The team outscored Rider and Niagara 11-0 in last week’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) match-ups. On Wednesday night, the Hawks traveled to Lawrenceville and played Rider on Ben Cohen Field. MU carried their energy from last week’s 8-0 win over Saint Peter’s into the match, scoring within the first five minutes. Redshirt senior forward Rachael Ivanicki scored at 4:10 into the game after being assisted by senior forward Alexis McTamney. Roughly 12 minutes later, sophomore forward/midfielder Alli DeLuca scored to make the score 2-0.
The Hawks didn’t score again until the second half, also holding the Broncs to a total of zero shots. The blue and white entered the second half with the same energy and game plan, scoring another fast goal. Junior midfielder Sophie Centi fired a ball into the net after being assisted by Ivanicki. Senior Captain Defender Julie Spracklin quickly scored after Centi’s goal, making the score 4-0. Redshirt freshman and junior forwards Madie Gibson and Rachelle Ross both scored later on in the game, making the final score 6-0 over the Broncs.
“We executed our game plan to perfection,” Head Coach Krissy Turner said. “We continue to get better each game and that is an important quality in a team. As a coaching staff we are very pleased with where the team is at this point in the season.”
The team quickly rallied together and prepared to compete against Niagara on Saturday, dedicating the game to Breast Cancer Awareness at Hesse Field on the Great Lawn. The last time the Hawks played on their home turf, they shut out Saint Peters 8-0. Not much changed this time, as the Hawks shut out Niagara 5-0 in front of a home crowd.
Again, the Hawks were quick to strike and scored just 12:26 into the game after McTamney scored through the far left post. Gibson and Centi both scored on penalty kicks before the half was over, increasing the score 3-0. Gibson wasn’t done for the day; she fired two shots midway through the second half, making the score 5-0. Gibson’s hat trick led to her scoring in five straight games while also put her as the leading point scorer on the team in 2016.
“I’m very happy with the results we’ve been getting as a team. We definitely have a lot of positive energy and confidence going into Wednesday night’s game against Sienna,” said Gibson, who was named MAAC Offensive Player of the Week.
The Hawks have been playing very well recently by executing their game plan and playing well as a team. They have increased their winning streak to five games, shutting out each team and scoring a combined 24 goals.
“A solid team performance today. This was our eighth shutout, which is in line with our team goals for the season. We are finishing our chances right now and it is fun to watch,” Turner said.
The Hawks are fired up, confident and have a ton of positive energy which will propel them into their next game: a match-up against defending MAAC Tournament Champion Siena. Last year Monmouth defeated Siena 1-0 in the regular season, but fell short in the tournament, 2-1. The Hawks will take on Siena Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Hesse Field on the Great Lawn. The game can be viewed on ESPN3.
“I am so excited to play the team who took the MAAC championship form us last year. All of our hard work from last year’s defeat to now have been for moments like this one,” said Spracklin.
PHOTO COURTESY of Mark Brown/B51 Photography
