MOREGA, Calif.- Monmouth's women's lacrosse team improved to 4-1 on the season with a 18-12 win over Saint Mary's College (0-7) in California on Thursday afternoon. The Hawks held a 3-0 lead with less than three minutes expired off the opening clock, never allowing the Gaels to get closer than three a goal margin in their fourth win of the season. The match marked the first meeting between the two coastal teams.

Megan Brennan (King of Prussia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) got the Hawks off to a fast start, scoring just 22 seconds into the match. Freshman Rachel Feirstein (St. James, N.Y./Smithtown East) netted the next two Monmouth goals, with her second one assisted by sophomore Shawn Evans (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown). Monmouth held a 3-0 lead less than three minutes into the action when Ali Pollock (Watervliet, N.Y./Shaker) netted her ninth goal of the season, this one a free position blazer with 24:15 left in the half.

Pollock added another MU goal before Saint Mary's struck for the first time on a Lisa Vogeley tally, making the count 5-1 with just over 20 minutes to play. Three minutes later Vogeley notched her second goal, cutting the Hawk lead to 5-2.

Captain Ashley Waldman (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) scored on a free position attempt at the 16:33 mark and MU freshman Renae Hill (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) added another as Monmouth led 7-2 with 11 minutes to play. Gael Chloe Dee scored three goals in the final minutes but Pollock and Brennan countered and Monmouth led 9-5 at the break.

Evans and Dee scored within seconds of each other in the early part of the second half before Megan Nutter (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) and Waldman combined for back-to-back goals to give Monmouth a 12-6 lead.

The Hawk lead ballooned to 15-7 with goals from Nutter, Waldman and senior Brittany Scott (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) before Saint Mary's Alana Burrough stopped the bleeding with a goal that got passed Monmouth netminder Monica Johnson (Radnor, Pa./Archbishop Carroll). The teams traded goals over the next nine minutes before Gael P.J. Hainley sparked a 3-0 St. Mary's run to close the lead to 17-12. Pollock scored the last goal of the game to finish the scoring 17-12.

Pollock and Waldman each had four goals and an assist to lead the Hawks with five points. Nutter finished with five points also, with three assists and two goals. She also gathered four ground balls, with Waldman contributing on the defensive end with a pair of caused turnovers.

Brennan finished with three goals while Feirstein added two goals to her career numbers. Dee led all scorers with seven points, including six goals on nine shots. Hainley finished with three goals and two assists while Vogeley had two scores and two helpers.

Johnson finished with 11 saves in 60 minutes of work, compared to SMC's Hilary Gardner's nine saves.

The Hawks will host Stony Brook at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday in their next match.

2008-03-13