WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ—Monmouth scored once in each half for a 2-0 victory over visiting NJIT Friday night in non-conference women's soccer on Hesse Field on The Great Lawn on Monmouth's campus.
 
The 2-0 victory over the Highlanders lifts the unbeaten Hawks' record to 3-0 in the young season. Indeed, the Hawks have not yet conceded a goal, having scored a 1-0 win over Marshall in the season opener and then blanking Loyola in Maryland 2-0 before facing the Highlanders.
 
The Highlanders' 2015 won-lost record is now even at 1-1.
 
Monmouth's first-half goal was scored by Alexis McTamney from in front of the goal, assisted on a corner kick by Julie Spracklin at the 4:12 mark. It was the first goal of 2015 for the junior McTamney, who was all-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference first team in each of her first two seasons. She had 11 goals as a freshman and six last year as a sophomore after netting 58 goals as a high school senior.
 
The 1-0 score held until well into the second half, when Monmouth's Rachelle Ross added an insurance tally in the 73rd minute, knocking home a rebound with Brianne Boyle getting the assist. The goal was the first of the season for Ross, a sophomore who was 2014 MAAC Rookie of the Year.
 
Monmouth's junior goalkeeper Sydney Lavan went the distance for the shutout, making four saves in the process.
 
Her counterpart, NJIT senior Samantha Bersett was beaten twice, but played a strong game, making nine saves, many of them. The Highlander defense also made two "team" saves to prevent any further damage.
 
Monmouth, perennially among the strongest teams in the state and region, had a 24-7 advantage in total shots, including 13-4 in shots on target. The corner kicks also favored the Hawks, 10-2.
 
Highlander freshman Arianna Gerber produced four of her team's total shots, including two of the four shots on goal.
 
The Highlanders will continue their season-opening run against teams from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference when they host Iona at 1 pm Sunday afternoon on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
 
NJIT opened the 2015 season with a 5-1 win over MAAC member Saint Peter's on August 21 before falling at two-time defending MAAC regular season champion Monmouth.
 
The Highlanders and Gaels faced each other last September in New Rochelle, NY, and Iona prevailed 2-1 with the winning goal coming with 1:08 left in the second overtime.