WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Senior back David Acuña Camacho (Heredia, Costa Rica/Costa Rica YNT) scored a goal and assisted on John Egan’s (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge) game winner as the Monmouth University men’s soccer team defeated hOURglass rival Saint Peter’s, 3-1, Wednesday night at Hesse Field on The Great Lawn. With the win, the Hawks (9-3-2, 5-0-1 MAAC) run their unbeaten streak to 11 games (9-0-2) and gain sole possession of first place in the league. Saint Peter’s, which had won five of its last six entering tonight’s match, falls to 6-5-1 (3-2-0 MAAC).

Camacho gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute, scoring off a free kick from just outside the top of the 18-yard box. The senior bent a low shot around the Saint Peter’s wall and inside the right post for his second goal of the year.

Camacho again figured on a Monmouth goal in the 26th minute, when the Hawks were awarded a free kick from the goal line to the left of the Peacocks’ net following a yellow card on Chris Rodrigues. Camacho’s cross found the foot of a streaking Egan inside the six-yard box to stake Monmouth to a 2-0 lead.

The Peacocks got on the board in the 43rd minute, when Ezequiel Cei was awarded a free kick from five yards outside the 18-yard box. His initial shot was blocked by the Monmouth wall, but it came right back down to his feet and he unleashed a shot into the right upper 90.

Monmouth wasted little time adding an insurance goal just 2:03 into the second half, as Anderson Asiedu (Dormaa Ahenkro, Ghana/St. Benedict’s) won a 50-50 ball, took a touch to the top of the box and sent a shot inside the left post.

Monmouth goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky (Lincoln Park, NJ/DePaul Catholic) made one save to earn his 27th career victory in net, pushing him into a tie for second all-time in the MAAC with Niagara’s John Fiutowski.

For the game, Saint Peter’s took a 13-12 edge in shots. However seven of the Peacocks’ attempts were blocked by the Monmouth defense and the Hawks took a 4-2 edge in shots on goal. The Peacocks also took nine corner kicks to the Hawks’ seven.   

The Hawks return to MAAC action Saturday, when they travel to Fairfield for a rematch of last season’s MAAC Championship Final. Kickoff from Lessing Field is slated for 7 p.m.