FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 7, 2000

CHICO’S RECORD-TYING GOAL LEADS MONMOUTH TO VICTORY

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Gina Chico (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) tallied a pair of goals to give Monmouth University a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over Sacred Heart University Saturday afternoon in Northeast Conference field hockey action at the MU Field Hockey Park. The goal also put Chico atop the NEC’s single-season goal list.

Chico scored the game-winning goal with 18:55 remaining in the second half as the Hawks took advantage of one of its 26 penalty corner opportunities. Leanne Wright (East Brunswick, N.J./Eat Brunswick), the inserter on the play, served up a delightful pass to Kelly Monahan (Belford, N.J./Middletown North), the stick-stop, who killed the ball perfectly for Chico. The goal gave Chico 13 for the season, tying the NEC record set by Quinnipiac’s Catie Canetti last season.

The Pioneers drew first blood in the contest as Julie Messenger (Hinsdale, N.H./Hinsdale) beat Hawks’ goaltender on the left-side after a tantalizing cross from Angela Yuhas (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) to give Sacred Heart (1-10, 1-4 Northeast Conference) a 1-0 lead with 20:21 remaining in the opening stanza.

Monmouth (7-7, 6-1 NEC) registered its first equalizer with 11:48 left in the first half as Jennifer Marianni (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) and Megan Kenney (Stockton, N.J./Hunterdon Central) worked a perfect give-and-go after the initial penalty corner play was snuffed out. Marianni hovering on the left side of the arc fed Kenney who quickly worked the ball back to Marianni for the chip-in goal.

Less than three minutes later, Sacred Heart went back on top as Messenger scored her second goal of the afternoon. Ashley Anderson (Dover Plains, N.Y./Dover) weaved her way down the left baseline and sent a bow-shot across the front of a goal to an awaiting Messenger who redirected the shot into the goal to put the Pioneers back on top, 2-1 with 8:54 left in the half.

Chico tied the score with her second goal of the afternoon. The shot came on a penalty corner as Marianni served Monahan for the stick-stop and Chico launced a bullet into the back of the cage with 2:33 left in the half to give Monmouth the momentum heading into the intermission.

The Hawks were on the offensive most of the contest as they outshot Sacred Heart 25-7 in the game and owned a 26-3 edge in penalty corner opportunities. Sacred Heart’s Ginny Cappicchioni (Oradell, N.J./River Dell Regional) made 15 saves in goal, including one save on a penalty stroke chance for the Hawks. Jamie Urbanowicz (Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Middletown South) went the distance in goal for the Hawks to pick up the victory.

Monmouth returns to action Sunday as it hosts defending Northeast Conference champions Quinnipiac in a 1 p.m. contest at the MU Field Hockey Park.

SCORING SUMMARY

Sacred Heart (1-10, 1-4 Northeast) 2  0  -  0
Monmouth (7-7, 6-1 Northeast)      2  1  -  3

SHU 1 20:21 Julie Messenger (Angela Yuhas)
MU 1 11:48 Jennifer Marianni (Megan Kenney)
SHU 1 8:54 Julie Messenger (Ashley Anderson)
MU 1 2:33 Gina Chico (Jennifer Marianni, Kelly Monahan)
MU 2 18:55 Gina Chico (Leanne Wright, Kelly Monahan)

Shots: SHU – 7, MU – 25.
Saves: SHU – Capicchioni – 15, MU – Urbanowicz – 1.
Penalty Corners: SHU – 3, MU – 26.
Penalty Strokes: SHU – 0/0, MU – 0/1.
Cards: SHU – Laura Athens (Green), Angela Yuhas (Yellow).