Towson Pushes No. 19 Monmouth to Overtime Before Falling 2-1 in CAA Opener
TOWSON, Md. — Towson University field hockey came within 90 seconds of opening Coastal Athletic Association play with a nationally ranked victory Friday afternoon.
Instead, No. 19 Monmouth produced a dramatic late comeback.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead early in the fourth quarter behind Anouk Westerink’s second goal of the season and survived tremendous pressure from the Hawks throughout the afternoon. Monmouth finally broke through with 1:48 remaining in regulation before Eabha Curran scored the game-winner in overtime to give the Hawks a 2-1 victory.
Towson fell to 2-5 overall and 0-1 in CAA play, while Monmouth improved to 5-1 and 1-0 in the conference. The result was Towson’s third overtime contest through its first seven games, already surpassing the number of overtime games the Tigers played during the entire 2025 season.
Tigers survive relentless early pressure
Monmouth controlled much of the possession and statistical battle, but Towson’s defense repeatedly prevented the Hawks from converting their opportunities.
That challenge began almost immediately.
Monmouth generated six penalty corners during the opening 15 minutes. Towson goalkeeper Riley Redding was tested repeatedly, including a diving save with approximately five minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Despite spending much of the period defending its own circle, Towson reached the end of the first quarter tied 0-0.
The Tigers continued frustrating the Hawks in the second.
Towson generated an opportunity of its own late in the quarter while playing with a player advantage. With approximately four minutes remaining before halftime, the Tigers earned their first penalty corner. Ann Njoroge sent a ball across the front of the goal, but Towson could not get a stick onto it and the attempt went wide.
Neither team scored before halftime.
That represented an accomplishment for a Towson defense facing a Monmouth team that entered the afternoon nationally ranked and had already demonstrated its offensive potential earlier in the season. The Hawks opened their 2026 campaign with a 5-1 victory over nationally ranked Rutgers.
Westerink nearly gives Towson the lead in third
Towson began creating more dangerous opportunities after halftime.
Westerink generated an early chance when she carried the ball into the top of the circle and fired from the left side. Monmouth goalkeeper Charlie Bowman made the save to preserve the scoreless tie.
The Tigers received an even better opportunity shortly afterward.
Else Wismans drew a penalty stroke with approximately 9:30 remaining in the third quarter, giving Towson its best chance to take the lead. Westerink stepped forward to take the attempt, but Bowman stopped the penalty stroke.
That save could have shifted the game heavily in Monmouth’s direction.
Instead, Towson continued defending.
Another Monmouth penalty corner produced one of Redding’s best saves of the afternoon as the Towson goalkeeper used a kick save to deny the Hawks. The Tigers survived the period and entered the fourth quarter tied 0-0 despite Monmouth controlling much of the possession.
Westerink breaks through
Westerink did not allow the missed penalty stroke to define her afternoon.
Just 1:24 into the fourth quarter, the junior attacked again.
Westerink carried the ball into Monmouth’s circle and sent a shot toward goal. The attempt deflected off a Hawks defender’s stick and found its way into the cage, finally breaking the scoreless tie and putting Towson ahead 1-0 with 13:36 remaining.
The goal was Westerink’s second of the season.
More importantly, it put Towson in position to potentially earn one of its biggest victories of the young season.
The Tigers had absorbed wave after wave of Monmouth pressure and suddenly held a fourth-quarter advantage over the No. 19 team in the country.
What followed was a frantic final stretch.
Video review twice keeps Towson ahead
Monmouth believed it had tied the game twice during the fourth quarter.
Both times, video review went Towson’s way.
The Hawks put the ball into the cage on two separate occasions, only for officials to overturn both apparent goals after review. That allowed Towson to maintain its 1-0 advantage while the clock continued moving toward the final minutes. Monmouth’s own recap described the Hawks as having to overcome two goals being taken off the board.
Towson’s defense continued fighting through Monmouth’s enormous advantage in attacking opportunities.
The Hawks ultimately finished the afternoon with 26 shots compared with only six for Towson. Monmouth put 11 attempts on goal while the Tigers put four on target. The disparity was even greater on penalty corners, where Monmouth held a 14-1 advantage.
Still, Towson led.
And the Tigers were less than two minutes from making that lead stand.
Monmouth equalizes with 1:48 remaining
Lilly Ricks finally broke through for the Hawks.
With 1:48 remaining in regulation, Ricks scored to tie the game at 1-1 and erase the advantage Towson had protected throughout most of the fourth quarter.
Monmouth immediately threatened to win the game before overtime was necessary.
The Hawks earned another penalty corner with approximately 30 seconds remaining. Redding responded with two saves in the closing sequence, preventing Monmouth from completing the comeback in regulation and ensuring Towson would at least have an opportunity in overtime.
For Redding, those saves added to a career afternoon.
She finished with eight saves, establishing a new single-game career high. Her previous work had already helped Towson survive Monmouth’s 14 penalty corners and 26 total shots.
Without Redding’s performance, the game likely never reaches overtime.
Curran ends it in overtime
The seven-on-seven overtime period initially featured possession from both teams without either immediately creating the decisive opportunity.
Eventually, Monmouth found its opening.
With approximately five minutes remaining in the overtime period, a Towson foul helped the Hawks advance into the attacking circle. Redding stopped Monmouth’s initial shot, but Curran collected the rebound and converted the second opportunity for the game-winning goal at 70:59.
Maia McCourt received the assist.
The goal gave Monmouth the 2-1 victory and completed a comeback that had appeared increasingly unlikely as the fourth-quarter clock approached zero. Curran’s overtime winner also allowed the Hawks to survive an afternoon in which two potential Monmouth goals had been erased following video review.
Bowman finished with three saves for Monmouth.
Redding keeps Tigers alive
Towson’s goalkeeper was one of the biggest reasons the Tigers were in position to potentially pull off the upset.
Monmouth generated 20 more shots than Towson and 13 more penalty corners. The Hawks consistently established possession in dangerous areas and forced the Tigers to spend extended stretches defending.
Redding repeatedly answered.
Her eight saves established a career high, and several came at crucial moments. She made the diving first-quarter stop, denied another Monmouth chance with a kick save during the third and then made consecutive saves during the Hawks’ final penalty-corner opportunity of regulation.
The statistics underline just how much pressure Towson absorbed.
Monmouth finished with 26 shots, 11 shots on goal and 14 corners. Towson produced six shots, four shots on goal and one corner. Despite those disparities, the Tigers were still 90 seconds away from winning in regulation.
That speaks to Towson’s defensive performance even in defeat.
Westerink continues to create offense
Westerink was also at the center of nearly every major Towson attacking moment.
She generated the early third-quarter opportunity from the left side, stepped up for the penalty stroke and eventually scored Towson’s only goal.
The fourth-quarter strike was her second goal of the season.
Her response after having the penalty stroke stopped was particularly noteworthy. Rather than allowing the missed opportunity to linger, Westerink remained aggressive and created another chance shortly after the fourth quarter began.
That persistence eventually gave Towson the lead.
Another overtime battle for Towson
Close games have quickly become a theme of Towson’s season.
Friday represented the Tigers’ third overtime contest through only seven games. Towson is now 1-2 in overtime this season. The three overtime appearances have already exceeded the number the program played throughout the entire 2025 campaign.
Playing close games against quality opposition can provide valuable experience, but Towson will want to begin turning more of those opportunities into victories.
Friday was perhaps the most painful example.
The Tigers did enough defensively to keep a nationally ranked opponent scoreless for nearly 59 minutes. They took the lead, survived two apparent Monmouth goals that were overturned and reached the final 90 seconds with a chance to leave New Jersey with a conference-opening upset.
Monmouth simply found the late response.
Monmouth continues strong start
The victory continued an impressive opening month for the Hawks.
Monmouth improved to 5-1 overall with the win and began CAA competition 1-0. The Hawks entered Friday ranked No. 19 nationally after opening the season with an emphatic victory against ranked Rutgers.
That context makes Towson’s performance more notable.
The Tigers were substantially outshot but still forced one of the nation’s ranked programs into overtime. Towson also became only the second opponent through Monmouth’s first six games to keep the Hawks from scoring multiple goals in regulation.
The final result will sting, but the Tigers showed they could remain competitive against a nationally ranked CAA opponent.
Tigers return home against Penn
Towson does not have much time to dwell on the loss.
The Tigers return to the TU Field Hockey Complex on Sunday, Sept. 20, for a noon nonconference matchup against Penn.
Towson will enter that game looking to translate Friday’s defensive effort into a complete victory.
The biggest challenge will be creating more sustained offensive pressure.
Six shots and one penalty corner put enormous pressure on Towson’s defense to be nearly perfect. The Tigers were remarkably close to accomplishing exactly that against Monmouth, but consistently winning games while surrendering that level of possession will be difficult.
MSB Take
This is one of those losses where the final score does not completely explain Towson’s performance.
Monmouth dominated almost every offensive statistic. The Hawks had a 26-6 advantage in shots and an extraordinary 14-1 edge in penalty corners. Normally, that type of statistical disparity produces a comfortable victory. Instead, Towson was 90 seconds from beating the No. 19 team in the country.
Riley Redding deserves enormous credit. Her career-high eight saves kept Towson alive through repeated Monmouth attacks, and she made some of her biggest stops when the Tigers needed them most. The entire defense deserves recognition as well for surviving 14 corners and keeping Monmouth scoreless through the first three quarters.
Westerink’s afternoon was encouraging for another reason. Missing a penalty stroke could have been a difficult moment, but she remained aggressive and scored early in the fourth quarter. That ability to respond is exactly what Towson needs from one of its offensive threats.
The frustrating part is obvious.
Towson had the upset within reach. The Tigers survived two Monmouth goals being overturned, protected a 1-0 advantage deep into the fourth and still could not quite finish it. Ricks’ equalizer with 1:48 remaining completely changed the afternoon, and Curran eventually finished the comeback in overtime.
There are no moral victories in the CAA standings, and Towson begins conference play 0-1. But pushing a nationally ranked Monmouth team to overtime while displaying that level of defensive resilience gives the Tigers something tangible to build upon.
The next step is turning performances like this into wins.
