NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Monmouth University improved to 3-0 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) women's soccer action with its 3-1 victory over Iona at Mazzella Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Hawks, who got a pair of goals from junior Erica Murphy (Millstone Township, NJ/Pennington Prep) and another from junior Rachael Ivanicki (Marlboro, NJ/Colts Neck) move to 7-1-2 overall on the year.

 

Murphy, who now has a team-high 10 goals on the season, has registered three straight two-goal games for the Hawks, who are 3-0-2 in their last five outings. The forward put Monmouth on the board in the 13th minute, nodding in a service from classmate Alexis McTamney (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown Regional), who collected her fourth assist on the campaign.

 

The Gaels (1-10-0, 0-2 MAAC) knotted the game in the 36th minute when Kim Marra converted a penalty kick for Iona.

 

The Hawks responded 4:38 later when Murphy was taken down in the box and converted on her first career PK attempt, Monmouth's first opportunity from the spot this season, giving the Blue & White a 2-1 edge in the 40^th minute.

 

"I am very proud of how we responded to giving up the penalty kick," stated head coach Krissy Turner, who has guided the Hawks to 20 wins in 23 matches (20-1-2) in league play since joining the MAAC. "We scored two goals soon after and that is a terrific sign of having the right mentality."

 

The second of the two scores in response came in the 43rd minute when Ivanicki  tapped in a loose ball in the box for the 3-1 lead, the junior's fifth of the season.

 

For a second straight game, and the third time this year, the Hawks scored three goals in the opening half of a match.

 

Monmouth outshot the Gaels 21-8 in the match, forcing Iona goalkeeper Taylor Rice to make seven saves. Junior Sydney Lavan (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) made four stops in net for the Hawks for her seventh win. Monmouth also held a 5-2 edge in corner kick opportunities.

 

Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, October 3, when the Hawks travel to Siena to face the Saints in MAAC play at 1:00 p.m. on Siena Field.

 

@MUWSoccer -- #FlyHawks