Curran’s Hat Trick Lifts William & Mary to Program’s Second CAA Field Hockey Championship
Hunter Peters
BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY | HIGHLIGHTS
NEWARK, Del. (Nov. 5, 2023) – William & Mary graduate forward
Lauren Curran scored three goals, including the game-winner in double overtime, to lift the third-seeded Tribe to a 3-2 win over top-seeded Monmouth in the CAA Field Hockey Championship game Sunday afternoon from Rullo Stadium in Newark, Del.
It marks the second CAA title for William & Mary in program history and the first since 2018, as the Tribe improves to 11-8 this fall and receives the conference’s automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Tournament. Monmouth concludes its season 12-6 after posting double-digit wins for the eighth consecutive year.
Curran was named Most Outstanding Player after recording her second career hat trick. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Maddie George, who tallied six saves on Sunday and 16 for the weekend, Jayden Moon and Allison Goodwin.
Monmouth opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a highlight real goal from Sofia Fouces. The CAA Offensive Player of the Year received a pass from Calista Schwarz, sending it from the Monmouth 23-meter line to William & Mary’s 23-meter line, and Fouces did the rest. She dribbled into the circle before rifling a backhanded shot past the keeper for her league-leading 18th goal this season.
The teams went scoreless over the final 20 minutes in the first half, and the Hawks took a 1-0 advantage into halftime. William & Mary outshot Monmouth 5-2 in the first half, but Jessie Eiselen turned away all three shots on goal for a clean sheet through 30 minutes.
Two minutes into the second half, Curran tallied the equalizer for William & Mary. The graduate forward received the entry pass from Kellen Richbourg and used the backhand to get past the keeper for her 12th goal this fall.
Monmouth responded in the 42nd minute, regaining a one-goal lead. Aylin Aufenacker recorded her fourth goal this season – unassisted – to put Monmouth ahead 2-1 heading into the fourth.
However, for the second time in as many quarters, Curran had the answer for William & Mary. With their back against the wall, the Tribe generated four straight penalty corner opportunities, Curran finding the back of the cage in the 56th minute to level the score at 2-2. There was just one shot over the final four minutes, sending the game into overtime.
William & Mary created two penalty corners in the first overtime but did not scratch anything across. Two penalty corners later, in the 75th minute, Curran netted the game-winning goal assisted by Pyper Friedman. It marks the fourth game-winning goal for Curran this fall, who registered W&M’s first hat trick in the CAA Tournament since 1995.
The Tribe edged Monmouth 24-13 in shots and 15-8 in shots on goal. In addition, W&M earned 13 penalty corners to just three for the Hawks.
Fouces, Aufenacker and Reese Bloomsted represented the Hawks on the CAA Championship all-tournament team.
2023 CAA Field Hockey All-Tournament Team
Lauren Curran, William & Mary (MOP)
Maddie George, William & Mary
Jayden Moon, William & Mary
Allison Goodwin, William & Mary
Aylin Aufenacker, Monmouth
Reese Bloomstead, Monmouth
Sofia Fouces, Monmouth
Eline Di Leva, Drexel
Pien Elsen, Drexel
Cailin Hart, Northeastern
Lauren Rowe, Northeastern
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