FAIRFIELD, Conn. (April 24, 2009) – The Sacred Heart trio of seniors Amanda Williams (Monroe, CT) and Mary Montesarchio (Cortlandt Manor, NY) and junior Carissa Hauser (East Northport, NY) combined to score 10 goals as the top-seeded Pioneers advanced to the 2009 Northeast Conference Championship game with a 13-7 win over Monmouth Friday afternoon on Campus Field. Hauser led all players with four goals as the Pioneers improved to 11-6 with win. The loss ends the Hawks season at 7-11 overall.

The Pioneers (11-6) outshot the Hawks (7-11) 25 to 14 and dominated on draws, winning 15 of 22 on the afternoon. Hauser added an assist to her four tallies while both Williams and Montesarchio scored three times. Montesarchio added four caused turnovers, three draw wins and three ground balls to go with a pair of assists for a five-point afternoon. MU juniors Megan Brennan and Shawn Evans each scored three goals for the Hawks.

Monmouth struck first at Brennan converted on an 8meter free position attempt at 26:20. Montesarchio and Williams went back to back at 25:08 and 23:40 for a 2-1 advantage. The Hawks struck back to tie take a 3-2 lead as Evans hit from 8meters followed by a Carissa Franzi marker off a feed from Brennan. The Pioneers answered right back just 32 seconds later as Williams set up Montesarchio for her second of the afternoon.

Montesarchio set up freshman Alicia Fuchs (Bay Shore, NY) on a one-timer at 18:37 and fellow freshman Kate Kmiotek (Farmingville, NY) made it a 5-3 SHU lead with 16:24 to go on a free position goal. The Hawks briefly halted the Pioneer's momentum as Brennan tacked on her second of the day, unassisted, at 15:15 but SHU ended the half with four-straight to lead 9-4 at the break.

Junior Cori Horelik (South Windsor, CT) started the rally at 13:34 with an unassisted score followed by goals by Williams, Hauser and Montesarchio, her third of the day with just six ticks left before halftime horn.

Monmouth ended nearly a 20 minute scoreless stretch by opening the second half with two straight off the sticks of Brennan and Evans to cut the Pioneers lead to 9-6. MU goalie Monica Johnson, who turned in six of her eight saves in the second half, helped keep the Pioneer offense at bay until the 16:30 mark. Hauser ended the drought with an 8meter goal followed by an unassisted marker from Williams for an 11-6 advantage.

Evens was able to cut the deficit to four with her third of the day at 10:17 but the Pioneer defense locked down the Hawks over the last 10 minutes and tacked on two more Hauser scores to produce the 13-7 final score.

The Pioneers will host Quinnipiac in the NEC Championship game this Sunday, April 26th on Campus Field, a rematch of last season's title game. SHU claimed their first-ever NEC title last season with a 15-14 win over the Bobcats at Quinnipiac. Opening draw is scheduled for 1:00 pm.

- -

Fairfield, Conn.- Monmouth University's women's lacrosse team fell in the NEC semifinals for the second straight year to top-seeded Sacred Heart, dropping a 13-7 game at University Field on Friday afternoon.

Sacred Heart used a four-goal unanswered streak at the end of the first half to take a commanding 9-4 edge into halftime. Monmouth, the fourth seed, attempted a comeback in the second half but the combination of the Pioneer offense and MU turnovers eventually doomed the Hawks.

Monmouth junior Megan Brennan (King of Prussia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) scored the first goal of the game, beating Heart goaltender Chelsea Wagner on an 8m attempt with 26:20 left on the board. SHU senior Mary Montesarchio tallied the equalizer just 80 seconds later on a shot that hit off of MU goaltender Monica Johnson's (Radnor, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) stick and into the net. Sacred Heart went up 2-1 at the 23:40 mark when NEC Player of the Year Amanda Williams went uncovered and beat Johnson on the right hand side. Monmouth's Shawn Evans (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) evened the game back up on a 8m

1 2 3 4    Next  »

2009-04-24