The Monmouth University women’s soccer team booted a total of eight goals against rival Saint Peter’s Saturday night in their first home conference game of the season. Seven different Hawks scored in the shut out at Hesse Field on the Great Lawn.
Although there was a constant mist in the air, the atmosphere was still electrifying as the women remains undefeated in conference play. The Hawks were on fire from the start as they put away three goals within the first ten minutes of play and another four goals before the half.
“I think it was a great team win and team effort all around. It’s great when we can put teams away early and when we are able to get contributions from everyone,” said junior defender Miranda Konstantinides.
A team effort it was as seven different Hawks scored on the night while playing smoothly.
Senior forward Alexis McTamney sparked off the night at 6:20 in regulation as she carried through the midfield, shooting through the left post. The lady Hawks were amped up and quickly got the ball rolling. Shortly after McTamney’s Goal, senior defender Julie Spracklin and Konstantinides connected for a goal at 8:27 in regulation to put the Hawks up 2-0 early.
Spracklin carried to the end line and crossed the ball to Konstantinides as she finessed into the net. The Hawks still weren’t content yet, as they netted yet another goal only 43 seconds later.
McTamney assisted redshirt freshman Madie Gibson at the 9:10 mark, as Gibson scored for the third consecutive game. But Gibson wasn’t done as she assisted Konstantinide’s second goal off a corner kick, putting the Hawks up 4-0 at 13:22 into the game.
Spracklin became the 28th player in program history to reach 40 points after netting a goal from 30-yards out at 38:14 in the game, boosting the score to 5-0. She wasn’t the only Hawk making history.
Junior midfielder Sophie Centi scored her first career goal at 41:48, which was assisted by freshman forward Anna Lazur.
Fifty-seven seconds later, junior forward Rachelle Ross carried to the near side and scored through the legs of Saint Peter’s goaltender Taylor McLean.
The Hawks carried all their excitement and energy from the first half into the second half, quickly scoring their eighth and final goal of the game. Speedy freshman midfielder/forward Lexie Palladino scored her first collegiate goal off a corner kick at 50:34.
“The possession and teamwork we had led to the success of a great win and shut out,” said Spracklin.
The Hawks completely controlled the game by possessing the ball and out-shooting Saint Peter’s by 23 shots, landing 15 of those shots on net. The Monmouth defense played smart, holding them to less than three corner kicks, two shots and only one of those shots being on net.
Konstantinides took time after the game to reflect on the support from the fans.
“It was NJ Youth Soccer Night, so it was nice having kids from the area come out and support us. There was a good turnout of Monmouth students, which provides good atmosphere and helps us out,” said Konstantinides.
The blue and white also earned their fifth consecutive road victory against Fairleigh Dickinson on Sept. 28 by a score of 2-0. Senior forward Rachel Ivanicki and Gibson scored for the Hawks, both in the first half as MU was able to limit the Knights to just three shots on goal in the contest.
“To win our fifth straight game on the road and to earn a shutout are both terrific accomplishments,” Head Coach Krissy Turner said.
Monmouth is 3-0 in conference play and plan on taking this positive energy into their next big conference game when they travel to Lawrenceville to play Rider tonight at 7 p.m. After playing Rider, the Hawks will host the next three conference games at home and hope to get support again from the community and fans from school.
PHOTO COURTESY of Mark Brown/B51 Photograph
