WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Senior back Derek Luke (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) assisted on both goals as the Monmouth University men’s soccer team defeated Siena, 2-0, Saturday night in rainy and windy conditions at Hesse Field on The Great Lawn. Both teams entered the day atop the MAAC standings along with Marist and Saint Peter’s at 2-0-0. Monmouth (7-3-1, 3-0-0 MAAC) ran its unbeaten streak to eight games (7-0-1) with its fifth-straight win. The Saints fall to 3-6-2 (2-1-0 MAAC) with the loss. Marist also defeated the Peacocks Saturday, leaving the Hawks and Red Foxes with the MAAC’s lone undefeated records after three games. “Conditions were tough for both teams tonight,” said Monmouth Head Coach Robert McCourt. “I’m very happy with our team’s response. We scored some nice goals and created some good opportunities offensively, while defending well on corners and set pieces.” Junior Dave Nigro (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal off a Luke assist in the 27th minute, before freshman Danny Figarella (Wappingers Falls, NY/John Jay) headed in his first collegiate goal in the 78th minute, again off Luke’s service. Junior goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky (Lincoln Park, NJ/DePaul Catholic) and the Hawks’ defense produced their third-straight clean sheet and their fifth in the last six matches. Klenofsky made two saves. The Hawks have now conceded just one goal over the last 610-plus minutes played and just two goals over the eight-game unbeaten streak. Monmouth developed the game’s first good chance in the ninth minute as a cross was sent deep into the box, where Colin Stripling (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) headed it into the left post. The next solid chance for either team would wind up being the game-winning goal. Luke played the ball from the midfield stripe at the right sideline toward freshman forward Jalil Blalock (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth). The ball skipped past Blalock to Nigro near the top, left corner of the 18-yard box. The junior hit a low, left-footed shot past Siena goalkeeper Gianni Carillo off the inside of the right post and into the net for the score in the 27th minute. The Hawks kept the pressure on in the remainder of the first half, with three more shots, including a Dan Pizzimenti (Manalapan, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) header that was saved by Carillo in the 44th minute. Siena forced Klenofsky to make his first save of the game in the 51st minute, as Tom Allen put a shot on net that the junior keeper was equal to. Zachary Pereira’s (Rahway, NJ/St. Benedict’s) shot off a David Acuna Camacho (Heredia, Costa Rica/Costa Rica YNT) corner kick got blocked six yards from the goal line in the 56th minute, with several Hawks calling for a hand ball. John Egan (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge) forced Carillo to make a save in the 58th minute, before Siena put some pressure on with five corner kicks in a span of just over eight minutes. The Saints could muster just one shot that trickled wide off the foot of Danilo Markovic in the 68th minute. Figarella forced Carillo to make a save in the 74th minute, before Siena quickly countered, with Matt Needham’s header on net being cleaned up by Klenofsky. Figarella wouldn’t allow his next opportunity to be saved, as he got on the end of Luke’s long service from the left sideline to just eight yard in front of the net. Figarella headed it off the underside of the crossbar down into the net for his first career goal. Anderson Asiedu (Dormaa Ahenkro, Ghana/St. Benedict’s) got the play started by playing the ball wide to Luke, and was also credited with an assist. Siena would only get off one more shot the rest of the way, with it going wide off the foot of Alexander Tejera. For the game, Monmouth took an 11-10 edge in shots, including a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal. Monmouth fended off 11 Siena corner kicks, while taking one. The Hawks return to action Wednesday, when they travel to hOURglass rival Rider. Kickoff from Lawrenceville is slated for 7 p.m.