Box Score WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Liz Bergman tried to spark a late comeback as she converted a penalty stroke with 3:44 remaining, but the Sacred Heart University field hockey team could not produce another shot as top-seed and host Monmouth edged the Pioneers, 2-1, in MAAC semifinal action on Friday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field. With the loss, SHU finishes the season at 9-9 and 3-2 in MAAC play. The nine wins are the most the program has had since 2006 and the postseason appearance was the first for Sacred Heart since 2008.
Monmouth's (12-7,4-1) two goals came within a span of just over eight minutes in the first frame. With just over 19 minutes remaining in the half, Trish O'Dwyer got to the end line and found Amanda Schoenfeld in front of net for a tap in. The Hawks then made it 2-0 when Alyssa Ercolino sent a corner into Julie Laszlo in 24th minute. Laszlo's shot was deflected but found its way over an outstreched Mary Altepeter to give Monmouth a two-goal lead.
SHU's best scoring chance of the first half came with just over two minutes remaining in the frame. Bergman sent a shot from a penalty corner only to have Christen Piersanti made a kick save for her only stop of the first period to keep it 2-0.
Bergman led a Pioneer charge at the beginning of the second half that saw the Pioneers outshoot the Hawks 6-4 in the frame. She had an initial shot blocked only to regain the rebound and have her second shot saved by Piersanti just over two minutes into the half. Piersanti came up large for the Hawks again in the 48th minute. After a Rachel Claroni shot was blocked off a penalty corner, Lauren Lawson collected the rebound in front of net and fired a shot only to be denied by a diving Piersanti.
After an Altepeter save in the 45th minute, the Pioneers recorded two defensive saves to keep the deficit at 2-0. Caitlyn Slusser first blocked Meg Donahue's shot in front of net in the 46th minute. Claroni then denied Casey Hanna on the line in the 55th minute. Donahue also missed out on a chance to make it 3-0 as her shot from the top of the circle was sent just high with 13 and a half minutes left on the clock.
The Pioneers applied early pressure as they earned a penalty corner less than two minutes into the game. Bergman then had the first shot of the game as she got into the circle and had her effort blocked in the tenth minute. Moments later Monmouth came right back down the field and had a breakaway opportunity halted by Altepeter as she came out of cage to dispossess O'Dwyer. The first save of the game came two and a half minutes later as Altepeter denied Cori Allen's attempt from the top of the circle. Just over one minute after the first goal, Altepeter was forced deny Allen to preserve the 1-0 score.
For the game, the Hawks outshot the Pioneers 10-8, including 6-2 in the first half. SHU held the slight advantage in penalty corners 6-5. Altepeter saved five shots in the defeat, while Piersanti was forced to make three saves in the victory.
