Epstein and Houghton Win MAAC Awards

November 11, 2014

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announced its awards on Thursday, one day prior to the start of the MAAC Tournament semifinals at Monmouth University. Senior Amanda Epstein (Jericho, N.Y.) was named a Second Team All-MAAC midfielder, while freshman Ashley Houghton (Danbury, Conn.) was selected as one of two goalkeepers for the MAAC All-Rookie Team.

Epstein has now been an all-conference selection in all of her four years at Marist. This season, she lead the Red Foxes in shots with 24, including 12 shots on goal, and netted the game-winning goal in a 2-1 Marist victory over MAAC rival Saint Peter’s on Oct. 18. Prior to the 2014 season, she was named to the All-MAAC Preseason Team. She finishes her career tied for third in goals (24) and second in points (66) in the program’s all-time history. Epstein scored 15 game-winning goals for the Red Foxes in four seasons.

Houghton played six games, making five starts between the pipes for Marist in 2014. She made 27 saves in 526:54 for a .730 save percentage. She posted a 1.71 goals against average in her freshman campaign.

The Red Foxes had 14 student-athletes on the 2014 MAAC All-Academic Team, tying Monmouth for second-most in the conference and sitting just one behind leader Fairfield. To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must complete two semesters at their institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale. The Red Foxes had their largest number of selections since 2011: sophomore Libby Adams (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.), junior Amanda Bauza (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.), sophomore Ashlee Burke (East Northport, N.Y.), sophomore Sarah Cannon (Wrightstown, Pa.), sophomore Devon Cummings (Marlton, N.J.), Epstein, junior Jessica Fanelli (Katonah, N.Y.), sophomore Shannon Leonard (East Greenwich, R.I.), sophomore Juliette Loccisano (Hauppauge, N.Y.), senior Marjana Maksuti (Delmar, N.Y.), senior Marissa Mertens (Hicksville, N.Y.), junior Kathleen Moore (Plainview, N.Y.), sophomore Rhianna Ross (Glenn Allen, Va.) and senior Andrea Wicks (East Northport, N.Y.).