REGION CHAMPS! No. 3 Monroe Women’s Soccer Blanks ASA to Claim Region XV Title

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., October 24, 2018 – The No. 3-ranked Monroe College Mustangs women's soccer team claimed its first NJCAA Region XV Championship in three years on Wednesday, defeating rival ASA College by a score of 7-0 at Skidelsky Field. The Mustangs take the Region XV crown by winning the season series with ASA, 2-0. Monroe improves to 10-0-1 on the year with the victory, while the Avengers drop to 2-4. The Mustangs take home their first Region XV Championship since the 2015 season. Three years ago, Monroe went on to earn the District P Championship, and made a nice run in the 2015 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer National Championship tournament, winning their first two contests before ultimately being eliminated in their third game. The Mustangs got Sophomore Day started with a bang, as Daiana Frizon netted her first goal of the season at the 2:19 mark off an assist from Laia Munoz Danon for a quick 1-0 lead. Shortly after in the seventh minute, Francesca Sullivan led Angie Ponce with a long pass down the sideline, setting her up to chip one over the keeper and over the line to make it a 2-0 game. After being stopped on a few scoring chances, the Mustangs capitalized on one in the 21st minute. Anya Donelan played the ball on the left wing, crossed it across the net to Munoz Danon, who turned and fired back to the left corner of the net, beating the keeper to make it a 3-0 edge for Monroe. Ponce later scored her second of the day in the 35th minute. After a pass from Sullivan, Ponce fired it off the right post and over the line, making it a 4-0 game late in the opening half. After taking a four-goal lead into the break, the Mustangs got things going again in the 56th minute. Anya Donelan took the ball down the left wing by herself, beat a pair of defenders, and was able to chip it past the keeper for her first score of the year to give the Mustangs a five-goal advantage. Alba Gonzalez scored just three minutes later off a feed from Mayara Queiroz Reis to make it 6-0. Albalat then got on the board in the 68th minute off a pass from Munoz Danon, pushing Monroe's lead to seven. Marta Alemany earned her second shutout in a row to improve to 10-0-1 on the season, making six saves in the win. ASA goalkeeper Maria Cordeiro took the loss, but stopped 13 shots. The Mustangs have now qualified for the District 3 Championship, to be hosted next weekend by the Region XX Champion. The District Champion will then advance to the 2018 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer National Championship Tournament.