WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Monmouth University senior Monique Plescia (Norwood, N.J./Northern Valley Regional-Old Tappan) recorded her first goal of the season in the 80th minute, which proved to be the game-winner, to help lead the Hawks to a 1-0 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday night on The Great Lawn. The Hawks, who posted their fifth shutout, improve to 6-1 for the third time in program history with the victory.

 

"Good teams find ways to win, and that is what we did tonight," stated head coach Krissy Turner, who also guided the 2008 team to a 6-1 start. "It was far from our best performance of the season but getting another shutout was important."

 

Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Ashley Lewis (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Boro) made three saves in net for the Hawks to earn her fifth clean sheet of the season.

 

In the 80th minute of play, Lewis' punt bounced to senior midfielder Dana Costello (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial), who headed a flick pass on to a streaking Plescia for the winning score.

 

Plescia, who added her sixth career game-winning goal, netted her 13th career goal, while Costello picked up her team-high fifth helper of the year, and the 23rd of her career, moving her into seventh place all-time in career assists.

 

Monmouth outshot the Knights 13-3, forcing FDU goalkeeper Sage DoVale to make five saves.

 

MU also opened 6-1 during the 1995 campaign, part of a 9-1 beginning to the first of back-to-back 17-win seasons.

 

After finishing non-conference play with a 6-1 record, Monmouth opens Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action on Saturday, when the Hawks travel to Niagara University for a meeting with the Purple Eagles at 2:00 p.m. Monmouth, which has not faced NU since 1997, is 6-1 all-time versus the Purple Eagles.

 

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