Hempstead, NY – A pair of second half goals sunk Hofstra as the team dropped a tough 2-0 decision to visiting Monmouth in Colonial Athletic Association play on a sunny Friday afternoon from Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium.

Hofstra slips to 6-7 overall and 1-2 in the CAA with today's defeat, and the win improves Monmouth to 6-7 overall and 2-1 against conference opponents.

After a first half that saw neither side find the back of the net, Monmouth opened the scoring in the third quarter on its fourth penalty corner opportunity of the contest. Bente Steenhorst received the insert from Meis Kengen, and she set up Annick van Lange at the top of the arc. van Lange, the leading scorer in the CAA entering today's game, rocketed her shot past a splitting Merlijn van der Vegt for the goal four minutes into the quarter.

The Hawks scored the second and final goal of the contest with just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. On Monmouth's seventh penalty corner of the game, van der Vegt made a spectacular save on the initial shot from van Lange, but Jess Tucker batted the ball out of the air and into the net with 22 seconds left in regulation.

van der Vegt made six saves between the posts for the home side. Lieke Gorsse took a team-leading five total shots and two shots on goal.

Monmouth's Phileine Hazen totaled six saves in the win. van Lange had a game-high seven shots and five shots on goal. Reese Bloomstead made a defensive save for the Hawks on a shot from Gorsse early in the fourth quarter.

Hofstra will hosts its final CAA home game of the season on Sunday, October 16, against #25 William & Mary. The first whistle is set for 1 p.m.
 
Notes:
-Hofstra moves to 6-5 all-time against Monmouth. This was the first meeting between the two programs as CAA members.
-Hofstra outshot Monmouth, 15-13.
-With 283 career saves, Merlijn van der Vegt is now tied with Kaitlyn De Turo (2009-13) for the 10th-most saves in a career at Hofstra.