Box Score

Moon Township, Pa. – For the first time in program history, the Robert Morris University (10-7 overall, 3-3 MAAC) field hockey team will be playing in the postseason, as they defeated Monmouth (6-12 overall, 3-3 MAAC) this afternoon on Senior Day, 4-3.

The victory also gives the Colonials their 10^th of the campaign, which marks the first time the team has ever won double-digit games.

Because of Rider's 4-1 victory on Friday over the Hawks, Sunday's contest featured the ultimate nerve-racking playoff scenario – a winner-take-all game for the final seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament. The Broncs, Quinnipiac, and Bryant all secured their spots in the postseason last weekend.

From the beginning, there was a feeling that RMU would make history. Just 18 seconds into the game, the Colonials only strengthened that hunch as junior midfielder Jamie Hartley (Tamworth, Australia / University of Newcastle) gathered a pass from sophomore forward Jess Martin-Brown (Mount Gambier, Australia / University of Adelaide) at the penalty stroke line and chopped a high shot over the Monmouth goalkeeper and into the right corner of the net. That goal marked the fastest time that the Colonials have scored to open a game.

RMU would extend it to 2-0 about 14 minutes later. With the Hawks carrying the ball in their own zone, freshman forward Harriet Brown (Salisbury, United Kingdom / Canford School) cut in front of a pass and intercepted it, then made a move to her right before lofting it over the goalkeeper.

Despite the Hawks threatening in the last two minutes, the score stayed 2-0 through the rest of the first half. Then, in similar fashion to the opening goal, the Colonials broke through just 39 seconds into the second half. Junior forward Julianne Alspaugh (Carlisle, Pa. / Cumberland Valley) found herself in the right place at the right time as she corralled a tip and fired it into the net for her third goal of the season.

Less than seven minutes later, Hartley would strike again. Alspaugh found herself with the ball once again off a tip and rifled it towards the net. The initial shot was saved, but the rebound trickled to the junior captain, who then one-timed it home for her seventh goal of the season.

After a few opportunities through the start of the second half, Monmouth would finally get on the board at the 52^nd minute. Casey Hanna carried the ball down the right endline and found an opening on junior goalkeeper Erin McKenzie (Lismore, Australia / University of Queensland Tech), squeezing it through the five-hole to bring the Hawks within three.

Monmouth kept chipping away at RMU's lead and cut it in half in the 58^th minute. Off a penalty corner, Alyssa Ercolino find an open Alex Carroll at the top of the arc. Carroll then dished it to her left to Trish O'Dwyer, and O'Dwyer fired a one-timer rocket past McKenzie.

With their goalkeeper pulled to put an extra attacker on the field, the Hawks had their strategy pay off with O'Dwyer's second goal of the contest in the 65^th minute. Almost identical to the previous goal, Ercolino passed it to Carroll on a penalty corner, and Carroll then found O'Dwyer. O'Dwyer once again one-timed it home, pulling the Hawks within one with 10 minutes to play.

Monmouth continued to threaten and keep Colonial fans on edge. The Hawks possessed the ball in their offensive zone for the majority of the final 10 minutes, but RMU's defense stiffened and didn't allow a shot attempt with help from defenders Marzana Fiedtkou (Georgetown, Guyana / Marian Academy) and Simone Bindels (Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, NLD / Open Schoolgemeenschap Bijlmer).

When the final buzzer sounded, Fiedktou jumped into McKenzie's arms and the rest of the team poured out onto the field in celebration of the team's first ever postseason berth.

McKenzie stopped five shots to earn her ninth win of the season. Hartley's two goals gave her the second multi-goal effort of her season, and the sixth of her career.

Monmouth held edges in shots (13 to 10), shots on goal (8 to 7), and penalty corners (10 to 6).

RMU will travel to Lawrenceville, N.J. this week for Friday's MAAC Semifinal match-up with top-seeded Rider. That match-up is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m., following the semifinal game between second-seeded Quinnipiac and third-seeded Bryant.