Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn.— It was the Stags defense that proved the difference on Friday against Monmouth. Caitlin Bennett made eight saves in the 2-1 victory in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Semifinals against the hosts and top-seeded Hawks.
After winning their first-ever MAAC postseason game in their first season as a member of the conference, the Stags move on to meet Quinnipiac on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the 2015 MAAC Championship Game. The action will be broadcast live on MAAC.tv.
The 2015 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, Ann Burgoyne, netted both goals for Fairfield. The scoring started early, just 2:09 into the game Burgoyne made a nifty move around the keeper and shot into the empty cage for her 18th goal of the season.
The 1-0 advantage would hold all the way through the first half. Fairfield's defense played strong to keep their lead. The Hawks were held to just one penalty corner in the first stanza, and in cage Bennett made four crucial saves against seven Hawks' shots.
Monmouth tied the game in the 52nd minute when Georgia Bachop collected a Fairfield turnover and fired a shot to the far post.
But in the 60th minute it was none other than the junior forward Burgoyne to notch the game winning tally. Senior Emily McCauley fired a shot that Burgoyne deflected high over the keeper into the back of the net.
The goal was her 19th of the season and gave her 39 points on the year. Both totals tied her very own program record that she set in 2014.
Down by one with 2:17 left to play the Hawks emptied their net and added an extra attacker on the field. As the horn sounded Fairfield had to defend against one last penalty corner. Alyssa Ercolino played the ball in, but the Stags defense did not allow a shot to end the game.
