Montclair, NJ (9/23/06) - Senior midfielder BILL ANTHES (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) recorded a hat trick and also assisted on two other goals as 15th-ranked Montclair State rolled to a 7-2 victory over Hunter College in NCAA Division III men's soccer action at Sprague Field on Monday evening.

Seniors RYAN MORGAN (Princeton, NJ/Princeton) and ILYAS TASCI (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) each scored twice for the Red Hawks (9-0), who continue their best start by the program since 1969 with their ninth consecutive win to open the season. MSU also defeated Hunter (4-4) for the third time in as many meeting as the two teams met for the first time since 1996.

Freshman midfielder Areski Djaouani (Paris, France/Naurice Ravel) scored both goals for Hunter, which jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first five minutes.

Djaouani gave the Hawks the lead 5:09 into the contest as he controlled a loose ball at the 25-yard line and uncorked a shot that lofted just over the head of MSU goalkeeper GABE MERLA (Ridgefield, NJ/Ridgefield). Montclair State would come right back 86 seconds later.  Morgan was fouled by Hunter goalkeeper Noah Fessler (Metuchen, NJ/Metuchen) inside the scoring area and the Red Hawks were awarded a penalty kick. Anthes stepped to the line and drilled a shot, tying the contest a 1-1 and starting a seven-goal outburst by Montclair State.

Anthes would give MSU the lead for good at 10:11 firing a shot from the right side off the far left post and in for his sixth of the season. The Red Hawks extended to 3-1 five minutes later as Tasci netted his first off a feed from Anthes and BRIAN MILES (Newtown, CT/Newtown). Morgan registered his first goal of the contest at 20:32 as Montclair State took a 4-1 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Anthes notched the hat trick 2:30 into the period as he took a pass from OWEN NICHOLS (Princeton, NJ/Princeton) off a corner kick and tapped in a shot for his seventh tally of the season. Tasci got his second at 51:07 to make the score, 6-1 and Morgan's second of the game just under four minutes later capped the MSU offensive output. The goal was the 39th of Morgan's career tying him with Jim Ballard (1961-64) for fifth place on the all-time MSU goals list. Morgan is currently sixth all-time on the points list with 93.

Djaouani added his second goal for Hunter with 59 seconds left as Kyle Gregory (New York, NY/Friends Seminary) picked up the assist.

Fessler made six saves in goal for Hunter, which was outshot in the game, 26-6. Merla had two saves for the Red Hawks in the first half before giving way to TYLER STAKIWICZ (Delran, NJ/Delran), who played the final 45 minutes.

Montclair State returns to action on Wednesday, September 27 as it travels to Rutgers-Newark to face the Scarlet Raiders in an NJAC matchup at 7:00 pm. Hunter is back in action on Saturday, September 30 as it faced Baruch at 2:00 pm.