Women's Soccer

Monmouth Draws Penn State in Opening Round of NCAA Tournament

EDISON, NJ (Nov. 8, 2021) – 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Soccer Champions, Monmouth University will travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 6 p.m.

On Sunday, November 7, Monmouth claimed the program's sixth MAAC Championship title after defeating Quinnipiac 4-0. Lauren Bruno kicked off the scoring by netting a goal in the 9th minute. Senior Jesi Rossman scored the next goal (28th) and assisted twice on Monmouth’s first three goals. Senior Alexis Marino scored the team’s third goal (57th) and Lauren Karabin, Tournament Most Outstanding Player, scored the final tally of the match.

The Hawks will enter its eighth NCAA Tournament in program history (2007, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) on a five-game winning streak. During the five-game stretch, the Hawks outscored the opposition, 15-2, while allowing just one goal in the three MAAC Tournament games combined.
 
Penn State of the Big Ten finished its season with an overall record of 11-7 and a 5-5 conference mark. The Nittany Lions were most recently topped by Michigan in the conference tournament, 3-1, on Oct. 31.
 
Friday's contest will mark the third all-time meeting between the two squads with the most recent matchup coming on Nov. 15, 2013. The Nittany Lions current hold a 2-0 all-time series edge with both games occurring in the NCAA Tournament.
 
The winner of the game will move on to play the winner of USC and Grand Canyon. Click here to view the entire bracket.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.