Monmouth Trio Earns MAAC Field Hockey Weekly Awards
MAAC Sports
Offensive Player of the Week
Trish O’Dwyer, Monmouth
Gr., M, 5-9, Dublin, Ireland/Loreto Beaufort
Trish O’Dwyer continued her offensive outburst, registering 10 points highlighted by a seven-point outing at Villanova on Sunday. On Saturday, the senior assisted on Meg Donahue’s goal with five minutes left in the first half to give Monmouth a 2-1 lead in its upset bid against No. 20 Michigan State. The forward notched a goal of her own with under a minute to play in the half to give the Hawks a two-goal halftime lead on the visiting Spartans. On Sunday, O’Dwyer recorded her 10th career multi-goal game with her second career hat trick, while adding her program-leading 26th career assist and first career defensive save. It was also the second time O’Dwyer has eclipse the seven-point mark in a single game in her Monmouth tenure. The MAAC Preseason Player of the Year selection has scored in her last five outings and leads the league with 22 points.
Defensive Player of the Week
Christen Piersanti, Monmouth
Fr., GK, 5-2, Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan
Freshman Christen Piersanti started both games last weekend, making a combined 13 saves as the Hawks split their games with No. 20 Michigan State and Villanova. Despite the overtime loss to the ranked Spartans, Piersanti turned away six shots and followed up with a win against the Wildcats, making seven saves for the second time this season, one save off her season high total. The Bridgewater, N.J. native, who is 4-4 on the year, posted a 2.47 goals against average and a .722 save percentage over the weekend.
Rookie of the Week
Meg Donahue, Monmouth
Fr., F, 5-3, Wyomissing, Pa./Berks Catholic
Meg Donahue, who started both games on the forward line last weekend, had her hand in three of the Hawks’ seven goals, compiling five points on a pair of markers and an assist. The first year Hawk gave the Blue and White a 2-1 first half lead on Saturday against No. 20 Michigan State, capitalizing on a feed from Trish O’Dwyer. On Sunday at Villanova, O’Dwyer and Donahue connected again, this time Donahue finding the back of the cage for the goal, her third consecutive game with a tally. Donahue returned the favor in the final three minutes against the Wildcats, feeding O’Dwyer on a breakaway to cap off senior’s hat trick and the Hawks’ scoring in the 4-1 road win.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The MAAC, headquartered in Edison, N.J., consists of 11 member institutions for 2014: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University and Siena College. For more on the conference please visit, www.maacsports.com. Be sure to follow the MAAC on Facebook and Twitter: @MAACSports.