Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The first battle goes to Monmouth. Fairfield allowed three first half goals and could not get anything offensively going in the second half, falling to the Hawks 4-0. With the loss, the Stags' program-best 20-game unbeaten streak comes to an end. Fairfield also drops into second place in the MAAC, trailing Monmouth by three points.
Monmouth (10-4-0, 5-1-0 MAAC) came into the match with the best scoring offense in the conference, averaging 19 shots per contest. The Hawks showed that offensive mindset taking six of the first eight shots of the match. In the 29th minute Alexis McTamney recovered a loose header and fired the ball into the net for the first goal of the game.
Two minutes later, Brianne Boyle took control of a clear by the keeper and shot it into the empty net to put the Hawks up 2-0.
Fairfield (10-3-1, 4-1-0 MAAC) was forced to change their game plan and attack forward. The Stags would take six straight shots, and have two corner kicks in the span of five minutes. However, chances from Pam Coufos, Erin Pettersen, and Faith Daley were all blocked. Pettersen also had a shot that was saved by the keeper, Nicole D'Agostino.
Monmouth kept their composure and added another insurance goal before the half. Erica Murphy took a pass in the box from McTamney and was able to finish in the left side of the net to take a 3-0 lead.
The Stags took seven shots and had three corner kicks in the second half but could not find the back of the net. Monmouth capped their scoring in the 65th minute when Murphy tipped in a long free kick from Alexa Freguletti for her second goal of the game.
For the match, the Stags were narrowly outshot 16-14 but had a 6-2 advantage in corners. Kathleen Early had two saves in her 71 minutes of work. Jenna Pike made her second career appearance and made her first collegiate save.
The Stags will start the second half of their 10-game MAAC slate when they travel to Manhattan on Wednesday, October 15 at 7pm.
