No. 1 Monroe Mustangs Women’s Soccer Kicks off Championship Defense this Weekend

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., August 22, 2019 – The 2018 season for the Monroe College Mustangs women's soccer team was nothing short of phenomenal. After winning the program's second NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Championship in the past five seasons, the Mustangs will have a big target on their back in 2019 as they look to defend their crown. The Mustangs enter the season as the No. 1-ranked team in both the NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Preseason Poll and the United Soccer Coaches DI Junior College Women Preseason Poll. Monroe came into 2018 as the No. 16 team in the country, but an undefeated 16-0-1 record, capped off with a national title, brought the Mustangs all the way up to the top spot. After a dominant District Championship tournament victory, the Mustangs qualified for the national championship tournament as the No. 2 overall seed. They defeated Butler Community College in overtime, followed by a victory over Lewis & Clark Community College to advance through pool play. Monroe took down Iowa Western Community College, 1-0, in the semifinals, before upsetting No. 1 Tyler Junior College with a 3-1 victory to take the crown. The Mustangs return seven sophomores for the 2019 campaign, with six freshmen to round up the roster. Laia Munoz Danon leads the way for the returners, having finished third on the team a year ago with 32 points and 12 goals, while tying for second with eight assists. Mayara Queiroz Reis picked up six goals and three assists for a total of 15 points in 2018. The new season opens up this weekend when the Mustangs, joined by their male counterparts, travel down to Baltimore for the CCBC-Essex Kickoff Mixer from Saturday, Aug. 24, to Sunday, Aug. 25. The Mustangs will take on host CCBC-Essex on Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by a 10 a.m. matchup on Sunday with Montgomery College-Rockville. Monroe returns home the following weekend for its home opener on Sunday, Sept. 1. The Mustangs will host No. 6 Monroe Community College at Skidelsky Field at Flowers Park in a highly anticipated 7 p.m. matchup. The Mustangs take to the road once again the following weekend with a short trip to Newark, N.J. to play last year's District Championship host Essex County College on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m.