Montclair, NJ - Senior midfielder
Stephanie Lewis (Garwood, NJ, Arthur L. Johnson) had a hand in five goals as top-ranked Montclair State raced past William Paterson, 6-0 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference matchup on Wednesday evening.
Senior midfielder
Jennifer Tafro (Little Falls, NJ, Passaic Valley) added two goals and one assist as the Red Hawks remained unbeaten, improving to 9-0 on the season, 2-0 in the NJAC with their 21st consecutive home victory. MSU also defeated their local rival for the fourth straight time and fifth in the last six meetings.
Senior goalkeeper Kellye Statz (Robbinsville, NJ / Robbinsville) had 18 saves for the Pioneers, who dropped their fourth straight in falling to 4-5 on the season, 0-2 in the NJAC.
After an even game through the first few minutes which included a save by Statz in the first 1:44, the Red Hawks began a barrage of shots over the next six minutes all stopped by Statz who totaled seven in the first 8:08 until MSU broke through on Lewis' rebound putback for a 1-0 lead.
Lewis would assist on the next two goals, the first by
Abby Erler (New Hampton, NH, Newfound Regional) who blasted in a shot from the top of the circle at 11:41 giving the Red Hawks a 2-0 lead they would take into halftime.
In the second half, Tafro got on the board with her team-leading ninth goal. Off a save by Statz, Lewis collected the loose ball in front of the cage sliding a pass over to Tafro who then lifted the ball of the goalkeeper into the cage for the goal at the 41:18 mark.,
Senior
Brooke Hullings (Delran, NJ, Delran) gave MSU a 4-0 lead less than two minutes later with a hard shot from the right side the deflected in off the blocker of Statz. Lewis's second goal off a rebound save at the 51:25 mark pushed the lead to five with Tafro's blistering shot from the left side closed out the scoring with 12:43 to go.
The Red Hawks defense held William Paterson to just three shots in the game, none in the first half as MSU finished with a 34-3 margin in that category. Montclair State also out-cornered WPU, 19-4.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Rebecca Brattole (Clark, NJ, Arthur L. Johnson) registered her third shutout of the season.
Montclair State is now off until Wednesday, October 2 when it hosts Stevens at Sprague Field beginning at 7:00 pm. William Paterson is home on Sunday, September 29 taking on Gwynedd-Mercy at 5:00 pm.
