All weekend, the Hawks have been competing as the top seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament in Orlando, FL. For the first time in University history, the Hawks became MAAC Champions when they defeated the Fairfield University Stags on Monday, Nov. 4.
With the win, the Hawks improved to an overall record of 17-1-2 and extended their winning streak to 14 games.
The Hawks journey at the MAAC Championship began on Friday, Nov 1. as the women took on their first challenge, seed Canisius Golden Griffins, the No. 9 seed. In their first meeting of the 2013 season, the Hawks defeated their opponents 2-1. The Hawks proved victorious once more as they shutout the Golden Griffins, 1-0.
The Hawks scored in the 68th minute of play as senior forward Karly Tolentino passed a ball from the Griffins end line to senior forward Monique Plescia who found the back of the net and sent MU onward in the tournament. The assist accounted for Tolentino’s first of her collegiate career while the goal made for Pleascia’s sixth of the season and 18th of her career.
The Hawks out shot Canisius, 13-7, and gained four more corner-kicks in the match.
Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Ashley Lewis made four saves for the Hawks.
The win moved MU to the MAAC Semifinals where they defeated No. 5 seed Rider, 3-0, on Sunday, Nov. 3. Plescia, freshman forward Erica Murphy, and junior defender Alexa Freguletti compiled the goals to solidify MU’s win.
Murphy scored the Hawks first goal with 2:58 remaining in the first half. The unassisted goal marked Murphy’s second of the season. The second goal against Rider was scored in the 61st minute of play when Plescia kicked in a rebound shot off of teammate senior forward Dana Costello’s original shot. The goal was Plescia’s seventh of the season and second of the postseason. Costello’s assist marked her 10th of the season and 28th of her collegiate career, placing her second all-time at MU. The final goal was made when Freguletti took a free kick in the 69th minute for the third goal of the game and her fifth goal of the season.
The shutout against Rider was the Hawks 15th blank sheet for the season.
“To me, truly amazing,” head coach Krissy Turner said about the plethora of shutouts. “From the goalkeepers, to the center backs, to the outside backs, we were rotating outside backs today. It’s phenomenal. They minimized shots, they work so well together, and the communication is tremendous. To set the program record is fantastic.”
Little did Turner know that one more shutout was in store for her Hawks. On Monday, Nov. 4, the women’s soccer team won the MAAC Championship Title as they defeated Fairfield University, 2-0.
The Hawks got on the board early in the game as freshman forward Alexis McTamney netted the ball within two minutes of the first half.
McTamney extended the lead in the 68th minute of play when she scored once again off an assist from Freguletti. MU outshot their opponent, 16-15, and Lewis made six saves in her 13th shutout of the season. She was later awarded Tournament MVP for her successful efforts.
Along with Lewis, McTamney, Freguletti and Costello were named to the All-Tournament Team.
The MU women’s soccer team has now tied their program’s unbeaten streak record at 14 consecutive wins. With the shutout, the Hawks broke the school-record with 16 clean sheets in a single season.
PHOTO COURTESY of Chris Tobin
