WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University women's soccer team posted its fourth straight shutout victory on Sunday night, as the Hawks defeated Lafayette 3-0 on Hesse Field on The Great Lawn. Monmouth, now 5-2 on the season, has registered four straight shutouts and has maintained a clean sheet in five of its last six matches.

On the night, freshman forward Rachelle Ross (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) and junior forward Monique Goncalves (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills) each added a goal and an assist, while sophomore forward Alexis McTamney (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional) registered the other tally. Sophomore forward Erica Murphy (Millstone Township, N.J./Pennington Prep) and senior back Kristen Brett (Hebron, Conn./RHAM) were each credited with an assist on the evening as well.

"This was an excellent performance tonight by our team," said head coach Krissy Turner. "We continue to improve each game and our attack is playing very unselfishly."

The Hawks, who outshot Lafayette 12-1 in the first half, opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Murphy's pass into the box found Ross for the finish, and the game-winner, the freshman's second-straight decisive marker. Monmouth doubled its advantage in the 37th minute when Goncalves played a ball wide to Brett, whose cross was nodded in by McTamney for the sophomore's second score of the season and the 13th of her career.

Just before the halftime horn, Monmouth nearly made the score 3-0 as junior midfielder Cara Poole's (Branchburg, N.J./Somerville) attempt whistled off the cross bar.

Goncalves netted her fifth career goal in the 66th minute after Ross manuevered the ball to the endline and crossed it to the junior for the 3-0 lead.

Senior Jocelyn McCoy (Crofton, Md./Archbishop Spalding) got the start in goal for the Hawks, earning the win, the 20th of her career in the Blue & White, while graduate student Nicole D'Agostino (Clarendon Hills, Ill./Hinsdale Central/Pitt) made one save in net during the final 45 minutes of action.

Monmouth, which outshot the Leopards 21-4 overall in the match, forced LC goalkeeper Danielle Sedillo to make five saves on the night. The Hawks also held a 9-1 edge in corner kick opportunities.

Monmouth returns to action next Sunday, September 21, when the Hawks host Hofstra University on Hesse Field on The Great Lawn at 1:00 p.m.

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