Monmouth University’s men’s soccer team claimed the program’s 11th conference championship Oct. 24.
Colin Stripling (Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School) scored his team-leading fifth and sixth goals of the season, the latter serving as the game-winner, as the Hawks defeated Niagara University, 5-3, on Hesse Field.
With the win, the Hawks (11-3-3, 7-0-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) clinched the MAAC regular-season championship and the top seed in the upcoming MAAC Championships Nov. 5-9 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
The victory extended Monmouth’s unbeaten streak to 14 matches (11-0-3) and has catapulted the Hawks back into the national rankings. Monmouth was ranked 25th in the country by the NSCAA NCAA Division I national poll and 29th in the College Soccer News Top 30.
The championship is the 11th in program history and the ninth for the Hawks under head coach Robert McCourt. Monmouth has also won the MAAC regular-season championship twice in three years in the league. The Purple Eagles fell to 1-13-3 (0- 7-1 MAAC) with the loss.
“It’s another regular-season championship,” McCourt said in a prepared statement from the school. “We won one in our first year in the MAAC. We won the MAAC Tournament last year and won the regular season this year. So I’m really excited for and proud of the guys. They’ve worked their butts off the whole season so far and they deserve it.”
Seniors John Egan (Smithtown, New York/Hauppauge) and Derek Luke (Bridgewater Raritan) connected on a goal in the 14th minute to tie the match at 1-1. Stripling made it 2-1 Monmouth, and Dave Nigro (Marlboro) made it 3-1 with his fifth goal of the season.
Stripling struck again in the second half to make it 4-2, and Zachary Pereira (St. Benedict’s) provided the insurance goal when Niagara had pulled to within 4-3.
For the game, the Hawks outshot Niagara, 16-5, while also taking a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks.
The Hawks wrap up the regular season Oct. 31 at Marist College at 7 p.m.