Seton Hall University
Monmouth
WSOC Clipped by Monmouth
9/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - For the third-straight outing, the Seton Hall women's soccer team could not erase a one-goal first half deficit, ultimately falling, 1-0, to the Monmouth Hawks on Monday at Owen T. Carroll Field.
The Pirates (1-3) have now dropped three consecutive matches by an identical score line, and all three goals the team has allowed have come in the opening period.
Sophomore goalkeeper Illissa Blackshear (West Orange, N.J.) was tabbed to make her first collegiate start after coming on to make two stops in a scoreless second half three days earlier at Rutgers. The former West Orange High School standout responded with an eight-save effort that helped The Hall extend a streak that has seen the squad yield one goal or less in each of its last eight home appearances dating back to last season.
Three of those saves came in the first stanza as Blackshear and the Pirates held off an early charge in which the Hawks controlled the run of play. In the 31st minute, Seton Hall threatened as sophomore Frankie Maier (Oradell, N.J.) found a patch of space in the attacking third but her long range effort sailed over the bar.
Just over eight minutes later, Monmouth earned its second corner of the contest and a lofted back-post ball from Kristen Brett was met first-time by the oncoming Julie Spracklin who sent it home from close range less than a minute after entering as a substitute.
The Hawks took the slim advantage into the break and after the restart; Blackshear came up with two key saves on the Hawks' leading scorer Alexa Freguletti and Rachelle Ross to hold the deficit at one.
With just over 52 minutes played, The Hall nearly drew level as freshman Jackie Saint John (Paramus, N.J.) was played in with one defender to beat. Working on the left wing, Saint John touched it over to her left foot and fired a shot near post that forced a diving save from Monmouth keeper Nicole D'Agostino.
Blackshear was credited with three more stops over the next 10 minutes as the Pirates remained in striking distance heading into the final half-hour of regulation.
In the 80th minute of what was a physical contest, Seton Hall was awarded a penalty kick after the Hawks committed a foul on the right side of the box to halt a building bit of attacking play. Maier - who logged for the third-straight outing - stepped up to the spot for the first time in her young college career. The sophomore kept her effort low, but narrowly missed tallying the equalizer as her shot rolled wide of the left post.
From there, the preseason MAAC favorites Monmouth (2-2) kept the Pirates at bay over the final 10 minutes to earn their second victory of the season.
Seton Hall will return to the pitch on Thursday, September 4 when the squad travels to take on Stony Brook out of the America East Conference in what will be the first of three-straight road matches for The Hall. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and a live radio broadcast is slated to be available on 89.5 WSOU FM.
